New Delhi: "Hairath", Maha Shivratri, the most important festival of the Kashmiri Pandits was celebrated today throughout the Kashmir valley. The separatists had also withdrawn strike call today to allow members of the community to celebrate the festival. Separatist organisations are calling strike every Friday in the Kashmir valley, demanding right to self determination. After joining night-long puja in their respective houses despite chilly weather conditions, members are greeting each other on the occasion of “Salaam”.
Muslims and members of other communities greeted their Kashmiri pandit brethren on the occasion. A large number of devotees were visiting temples, particularly Shankarachariya on the hill top of Takhat-e-Suliman, since early this morning despite cold weather conditions. Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, opposition National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah and working president of NC Omar Abdullah and former union minister Prof Saifuddin Soz have greeted people on the occasion of the marriage anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma, .
The authorities had set up special fish sale counters at different places in the valley for the Kashmiri Pandits, who have not migrated along with other community members in 90s or returned here. The Shivratri festival extends to about three weeks in Kashmiri Pandits' households and each day or a group of days, has a special name and religious function which include social performances also. Some of the names are Akodah, Hurya Aatham, Dyara Daham, Vagarye Bah, Heracnia Truvah, Donya Mavas and Tila Aatham. On each day, they have a different function. The Mahashivratri festival, observed as "Hairath" by Kashmiri Pandits on the marriage anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma, begins on the first day of Phalgun Krishna Paksha and ends on the Amavasi day in Phalgun. In between, there are numerous auspicious days like Hur Ashtami.
Walnuts, whose shape represents the universe, play an important part in 'Hairath' rituals. Walnuts are filled in earthen pots and then filled with water. The water is changed every day of the festivals. A big earthen pot, two medium sized earthern pots, two small earthen pots, clay modelled to the shape of elephant trunk and seven bowls are used in the Hairath ritual and they are known as 'watuk'. The 'watuk' represents Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Sapta Rishis and other deities. Fasting is observed on the important puja day and it comes to an end at night. The rituals come to an end on the Amavasi day, which follows Shivratri. The puja items, flowers and pots are immersed in rivers. Walntus are distributed as prasad.
Mahashivaratri celebrated with religious fervour in MP
Mahashivaratri was today celebrated with religious fervor across Madhya Pradesh. A large number of faithful thronged at Ujjain’s Lord Mahakaleshwar Temple and Khandwa’s Omkareshwar Temple – each being an abode to one of India’s dozen jyotirlingas – since last night to pay obeisance. In the state capital, hundreds of devotees visited Birla Temple and the Gufa Mandir. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also joined the celebrations with his wife Sadhna Singh at Badwale Mahadev Temple in the city.
Religious fervor marks Maha Sivaratri celebrations in Telugu states
Maha Sivaratri was celebrated in the two Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with religious fervor and usual enthusiasm, today. Since dawn, people after holy bath thronged Siva temples and performed special poojas, Abhisekhams and Archanas to Lord Parmasiva. Devout Hindus observed fast to mark the day. Major Siva temples in the two states were reverberated with "Om Nama Sivayya" mantra chanted by thousands of devotees. Massive gatherings of devotees were seen at the famous Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple, the seat of one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country, in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and Vemulawada's Sri Rajarajeshwari Swamy and Keesaragutta temples in Telangana.
On the eve of the festival,authorities had launched a mobile app-"Vemulawada Maha Siva Ratri" -to provide information about the devasthanam. State Road Transport Corporation plied hundreds of special buses to major Siva kshetras in the two states. Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao extended Maha Sivaratri greetings to the people, and prayed to Lord Siva to bless the people to lead a happy and comfortable life. A UNI report from Vijayawada said more than two lakh devotees had holy dip in river Krishna and had a darshan of lord Shiva at the famous Mallikharjuna Swamy temple atop the hill while over three lakhs people had darshan of lord Shiva at the hill shrine Yelamalakururu here today.
Over five lakh people thronged the famous hill shill shrine Kotappakonda Shiva temple and had darshan of the deity. It was sea of humanity at famous hill shrine Srisailam, one of the Dwadasha Jyothirlingas, where over two lakhs devotees, including Ministers, MLAs and other VIPs had darshan of lord Shiva. More than one lakh devotees throng to the Amaralingeswara temple, located on the bank of the River Krishna at Amaravathi in Guntur district.
Thousands devotees were seen formed serpentine queues before Shiva temple even in the wee hours itself. The Pancharama Khetralu, including Samarlakota, Draksharamam, Palkollu and Bhimavaram over crowded with lakhs of devotees. The temple vicinity resonated with 'Om Namashivaiah' mantra, which plunged the premises in devotion. Traffic was diverted at many places, including on Vijayawada-Hyderabad NH, for the convenient of devotees. Police security was provided to many Shiva temples in the state to regulate crowds. No untoward incident had been reported from anywhere so far, police said. (UNI)
