Maha Sivaratri celebrated with religious fervour

Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti, along with Handloom and Textiles Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa flagged off the ‘Shivaratha yatre’ organised by Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya as part of Maha Shvaratri celebrations in Hubballi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A child dressed as ‘Lord Shiva’ in Hubballi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
KIRAN BAKALE

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi offering puja at the prototype of Kedarnath Temple created in Hubballi on Saturday as part of Maha Shvaratri celebrations.
| Photo Credit:
KIRAN BAKALE

Large number of people visited the prototype of Kedarnath Temple to offer puja as part of Maha Sivaratri celebrations in Hubballi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
KIRAN BAKALE

People across various districts of Kittur Karnataka region celebrated Maha Sivaratri with religious fervour by offering puja to Lord Shiva in various temples, observing fasting and other rituals, singing devotional songs and chanting ‘Om Namah Shivaya’.

All across the region, devotees of Lord Shiva were seen standing in queues from early morning to offer puja to Lord Shiva. After offering puja at home, the devotees came to the temples to participate in various rituals as part of the celebration.

Someshwar temple in Dharwad, that dates back to the 13th century, saw hundreds of people lining up for ‘darshan’ of Lord Shiva. The Shiva temples in Koppadakeri, the police headquarters, Ravivarpet, Jayanagar, Jhakani Bhavi and other localities in Dharwad, the Eshwar Temple on Station Road, the giant statue of Lord Shiva at Shivapur Colony and several other temples in Hubballi witnessed large crowds throughout the day.

In most of the temples, ‘rudrakshas’ were distributed to devotees by the temple committees. Sri Shivasiddarameshwar Shivacharya Swami of Panchagraha Hiremath said that sacred ‘Rudrakshas’, a symbol of prosperity and devotion, were in 80 Shivalayas spread across the Dharwad district.

At Siddharoodh Mutt in Hubballi, where the annual Rathotsava is held just a day after holding ‘Pallakki Utsav’ on Maha Sivaratri, also witnessed thousands of devotees from across the region. People reach the Mutt from different places and observe ‘jagarane’ (spending the night chanting names of Lord Shiva) on Maha Sivaratri and then participate in the annual car festival the next day.

Kedarath prototype

Thousands of people also visited the Hubballi Gympkhana Ground at Deshpande Nagar in Hubballi where a prototype of Kedarnath Temple along with artificial caves and snow-covered mountains was created by Kshamatha Samsthe, promoted by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.

Mr. Joshi and several BJP leaders offered puja at the ‘Kedarnath Temple’ and subsequently Mr. Joshi inaugurated the dance and music programmes organised. In the presence of Sri Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami of Moorusavir Math, former CM Jagadish Shettar, Chairman of Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti and others took part.

Shivaratha Yatre

The ‘Shivaratha Yatre’ organised by Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya also drew a good crowd in which ‘Shivalinga ratha’ and tableaux were in taken in a procession on the thoroughfares of Hubballi and Dharwad. The procession which was inaugurated by Mr. Horatti and Handloom and Textile Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa at 9.30 a.m. at Bhairikdevarakoppa concluded around 5 p.m.