‘Shobha Yatra’ draws massive gathering at Khajpura temple

Patna: Shri Shri Mahashivratri Mahotsav Shobhayatra Abhinandan Samiti organised a grand Mahashivaratri celebration at the Khajpura Shiv Temple in Patna on Sunday. Around 30 processions featuring elaborate tableaux from different locations reached the main venue at 5pm. CM Nitish Kumar, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and Union minister Chirag Paswan attended the event, performed aarti and welcomed the participants. Former governor Ganga Prasad, JD(U) national executive president Sanjay Jha and committee coordinator Sanjeev Chaurasia were also present.The processions included participants from Kolkata, Raipur, Dhanbad and Hazaribagh. Tableaux depicted the wedding of Shiva and Parvati, the Somnath temple and the Mahakal of Ujjain. The first tableau to arrive was from the Prajapita Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya. Organisers presented mementoes, medals and stoles to the participating committees and distributed mahaprasad among devotees. The event was streamed on social media and displayed on LED screens installed at the temple premises.The venue featured three stages. The main stage displayed a 33-foot-high Shivling. The second stage hosted a Ganga Aarti accompanied by Vedic chants, while the third stage featured a bhajan programme beginning with Ganesh Vandana. A Tandav dance performance was staged in the evening. Security arrangements were overseen by police personnel, NCC cadets and scout guides, with monitoring through CCTV cameras.Earlier in the day, the assembly Speaker and various ministers flagged off processions from Adalatganj, Danapur, Yaarpur, Indrapuri, Rajiv Nagar and Kankarbagh. Leaders present at the flag-off events included Ram Kripal Yadav, Ritu Raj Sinha and Naval Kishore Yadav. At the Khajpura temple, devotees began rituals from 4am. The temple gates remained open for public water offerings until 6pm, followed by preparations for Shringar, Rudrabhishek and the midnight wedding rituals.The themes of the tableaux included religious and social subjects such as the descent of the Ganges, the Ardhanarishwar form and the churning of the ocean. Other displays highlighted de-addiction, tree plantation and cleanliness of the Ganges.