New Delhi: Mahashivratri was celebrated
with great fervour in the city Friday with devotees thronging
Shiva temples since early morning to offer prayers.
The faithful were seen waiting in long, serpentine
queues to offer milk and 'Gangajal' to the shivlingams at the
temples.
"This is a very auspicious day. I got up at 3 am and
went to the nearby Shiva temple to offer prayers. But still
the queue outside the temple was quite long," said Mona, a
housewife who stays in Jungpura area of the city.
Rashmi, a 22-year-old devotee from Malviya Nagar locality
of the city said, she had started preparation for the puja
last night itself.
"I had completed all the preparations last night itself
and could sleep for just three hours only," she said.
Most women observe a fast on the auspicious occasion,
which also symbolizes the marriage of Shiva and Parvati.
In several areas of the city, devotees also took out the
traditional marriage procession of Shiva.
Some Shiva temples in the city were also beautifully
decorated as part of the celebration.
The devotees believe that offering prayers to Shiva on
Maha shivratri brings prosperity and happiness.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 12, 2010, 15:17