Grand Celebrations Mark Mahashivratri in Bengaluru’s Shiva Temples

Mahashivratri was celebrated with fervour at Lord Shiva temples in Bengaluru.

Bengaluru: Devotion and spirituality filled the air as major Shiva temples across Bengaluru witnessed large gatherings of devotees on Wednesday to celebrate Mahashivratri. The festival was marked by traditional rituals, including Ksheerabhishek,Rudrabhishek,Bilvarchane, and the chanting of 'Om Namah Shivaya.'

From the wee hours of the day, special pujaswere conducted in temples, continuing from dawn to dusk. Devotees, both young and old, thronged temples to offer prayers, perform abhishek, and seek blessings. Some temples saw long queues forming from early morning as people patiently waited to offer their prayers. Rituals such as Ganapati Homa, Navagraha Homa, Mrityunjaya Homa,Mahalakshmi Homa, Rudra Homa, Sahasra Bilvarchane, and Maha Mangalarati were performed in various temples across the city.

Significant crowds gathered at renowned temples, including Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple in Gavipur, Kadu Malleshwara Temple in Malleshwara, Dakshinmukhi Nandi Theertha Temple on Temple Street, Someshwara Temple in Halasur, Gangadhareshwara Swamy Temple in Jaraganahalli, and Srikanteshwara Swamy Temple in Channammanakere Achukattu. Other temples such as Chandrachudeshwara Temple in Konanakunte, Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple in Basavanagudi, Male Mahadeshwara Temple in Chamarajpet, Shivoham Shiva Temple in Murugesh Palya on Old Airport Road, and Kote Jalakanteshwara Temple also witnessed heavy footfall.

Many temples distributed prasadto devotees, who patiently stood in queues to receive the sacred offering. The Mattikere Maidan featured a grand idol of Lord Shiva alongside an idol of Lord Rama, drawing significant attention. At the Jalakanteshwara Swamy Temple in Kalasipalya, a unique snow decoration added to the festive charm.

As part of the Mahashivratri celebrations, night vigils were organised at several temples, allowing devotees to engage in continuous prayers and rituals. The vigil also included cultural programs such as drama performances, music concerts, and poetry recitals with Deepotsava(festival of lights).

The Mahashivratri celebrations were not confined to Bengaluru alone. Across Karnataka, Shiva temples witnessed a surge of devotees, with special worship and prayers being held throughout the day. In Gadag’s Trikuteshwar Temple, devotees performed Rudrabhishek, Panchamruth Abhishek, and Ksheerabhishek for Lord Shiva from early morning. Thousands observed fasts and visited temples to offer prayers.

Throughout Karnataka, temples offered special prayers and distributed Bilva leaves and Panchamruth prasad to devotees. At various temples, Abhishek was performed using milk, and hundreds of devotees participated in the rituals, accepting Bilva leaves and prasad before beginning their fast.

Mahashivratri, a night dedicated to devotion and introspection, was celebrated with great enthusiasm across Karnataka.