Lakhs of devotees thronged Shiva temples across the state on Monday to mark the Maha Shivaratri festival celebrations.
The devotees made a beeline to temples after taking a holy bath in rivers adjoining temples since early morning hours and performed special pujas in the presence of vedic pundits.
Nearly four lakh devotees thronged Bramarambika Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Srisailam in Kurnool district. The temple authorities have cancelled all aarjitha sevas to facilitate hassle free darshan of God.
As part of Shivaratri, the temple authorities will take Brahmabarmbhika Mallikarjuna Swamy in a procession on Nandivahana in the evening.
Lingodbhavam (emergence of Linga) puja will be performed at night at 10 pm followed by Pagalankarana (adorning of head gear) and Kalyanotsavam (celestival wedding) of Lord Shiva to the Goddess Parvati at 12 midnight.
Apart from Saisailam, the Shiva temples –Vayulingeswara temple, Srikalahasti in Chittoor, Rajarajeswari temple, Vemulawada, Karimnagar district, Keesaragutta in Hyderabad, Suryaveswara Temple, Basara, Kumara Bheemeswara Temple, Samarlakot, Bheemeswara temple in Draksharamam, Kukuteswara temple in Pithapuram, Umamaheswara temple in Bhimavaram in West Godavari witnessed huge turnout of devotees since early morning.
Meanwhile, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar rao, Telangana Political Joint Action Committee chairman Prof M Kodandaram and 10 other MLAs offered special poojas at Rajarajeswari Temple at Vemulawada of Karimnagar district.
Shivaratri is observed on Magha Shukla Chaturdashi, the 14th day in Magha masam. Among the 12 prominent abodes of Lord Shiva, (Dwadasha Jyothirlingas), Srisailam is the most significant Shiva Shakti Kshetram which is also known as the Astadasha Shakti Peetham. The devotees believe that the worship of Shiva on this auspicious day absolves sins and attain moksha.
Meanwhile, the state Road Transport Corporation operated special services to all the Shiva temples to mark the Maha Shivratri. (INN)