Devotees throng temples on occasion of Mahashivratri

Chants of Har Har Mahadev are heard in all parts of the country on this day, dedicated to Lord Shiva.

From the Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi to the Shree Lingaraj temple in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, devotees are thronging the Lord Shiva temples across the country since early Saturday, February 18, 2023 morning on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

Bhasma Aarti was also performed at the famous Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, today morning.

Also read: Shivratri: a night of hope, prayers and celebrations

Aarti was also performed at Kashi Vishwanath Temple, devotees thronged Jharkhandi Mahadev Temple in Gorakhpur to offer prayers today. Apart from this, Babulnath Temple in Maharashtra's Mumbai also witnessed devotees' presence. Everyone offered prayers to Shiva Linga through water, shower petals, fruits etc. "We have gathered here at the temple of Lord Shankar on the occasion of Mahashivratri to seek his blessings, I come every year," Paresh from Malad said. "We worship God here with Veda Mantras. This is the glory of Shiva. On the day of Mahashivaratri, the Lord appeared in the form of a Linga and as per the order of the Lord we worship the Linga," a Hindu seer of Babulnath Temple said. Aarti was performed at Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

Maha Shivratri is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals which is celebrated across India.

Chants of Har Har Mahadev are heard in all parts of the country on this day.

This year the festival will be observed on February 18. It's celebrated annually in honour of Lord Shiva, who is one of the main deities in Hinduism.