STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Mahashivratri, a festival which personifies the union of Bhagwan Shiva and Goddess Parvati, was celebrated with religious fervour across the State.
Serpentine queues of devotees were seen in shrines of Lord Shiva across cities, towns and rural areas of the State. The devotees thronged the temples early morning to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva and seek his blessings for their happiness and well-being.
Melas were organised at various famous shrines of Lord Shiva including Shiv Khori, Peer Kho, Aap Shambhu mandir, Ranbireshwar temple and various other revered places.
The Mahashivratri celebrations began at Shiv Khori in Ransoo with historic live telecast of Aarti followed by cultural programmes presented by local artists including tandav dance, bhajans, kud and lambi bhaak.
District Development Commissioner, Reasi Ravinder Kumar, Executive Officer Om Parkash, Tehsildar Pouni Munshi Ram, Naib Tehsildar Ransoo Ashok Sharma, devotees and locals took part in the mela which witnessed the participation of over 1 lakh devotees this year.
The festival was also celebrated with much enthusiasm at App Shumbhu temple of Jib-Garhi in which large number of people paid obeisance and sought blessings of Lord Shiva. BJP General Secretary Pawan Khajuria inaugurated the mela being organised by Mandir Committee.
To celebrate the festival, a religious function for peace and national integration was also organised in the premises of Amreshwar temple at Chatha Gujran, Marh.
Superintendent of Police Mohan Lal Kaith was the chief guest in the function which was also attended by large number of devotees including Anant Ram, Jagat Raj, Gurdas Chand, Varinder Kaith, Dhani Ram, Kartar Chand, Piara Lal, Devi Ditta, Shiv Ram, Kishore Kumar, Amar Nath, Dev Raj, O.P Sargotra, Badar Lal, Shanker Dass, Karam Chand, Garu Ram, Rattan Lal and Chanchal Singh.
Meanwhile, a one-day long annual Mahashivratri cum rural awareness fair was also organised by district administration in collaboration with Destitute and Handicapped Welfare Association (DAHWA) and Mela Committee, Khoon in the premises of Khooneshwar Aap Shambhu Temple, Khoon Majalta.
In Bharadwah, the festival was celebrated with pomp and show in which devotees from different age groups, including children, youth and elders thronged the Shiv temples for paying obeisance to Lord Shiva and offering water and milk on the holy Shiva Lingam.
The festival was also celebrated with similar enthusiasm in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Batote, Drabshala, Nagseni, Chinta and Thathri.
In Poonch, thousands of devotees hailing from alll walks of life thronged the historical shrine of ‘Shiv Khori Poonch’ and paid their obeisance to Lord Shiva.
Prominent among those who visited the shrine included Commander 93 Inf Bde A.S Pandarkar, Deputy Commander N.S Sabarwal, DDC Poonch M.H Malik, SSP Rajiv Pandey, CO 1/1 GR, Senior Advocate Rajinder Singh, District President Congress Retired Prof Jagbir Singh and Nishu Gupta.
A havan yajna was also performed by Surjit Singh and other members of the Committee including Lokesh Anand, Hardev Lal and others amid recitation of religious discourses.
To celebrate the festival, Bhagwat Saptah was organised at Kameshwar Mandir, Akhnoor under the supervision of Maha Mandaleshwar Mahant, Rameshwar Dass Ji.
Member Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma and MLA, Akhnoor Rajeev Sharma participated in the celebrations.
In the day, Healthy India Stronger India (HISI) also celebrated Mahashivratri with students of the organisation at its Training Centre in Jammu.
Chairman of NGO Hiral Lal Abrol, Mahant Virendra Khajuria, Vinod Manhas, Happy Kumar, Meena Gupta, Roomika Gupta and other dignitaries participated in the celebrations.
General Secretary Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Dr Manohar lal Sharma also participated in Mahashivratri Yajna being organised by Shopkeepers Association of Jammu, Bus Stand. Senior leader and former Minister Yogesh Sawhney also participated in the yajna.
Meanwhile, Dr Sohail Nasti Chairman Global Mother Heritage, Sanjay Saraf, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Youth National President LJP Youth and National spokesperson and Vineet Karhullo, State President LJP Youth celebrated the festival with poor and needy people in Jagti.
To celebrate the holy festival, BJP Talab Tillo mandal vice president Keshav Chopra also organised a langar in which MLA Sat Sharma, District president BJP Ayodhya Gupta, senior leader BJP Parneesh Mahajan and Jeet Angral distributed food among the people.
Tilak Gupta, Neelam Nargotra, Surjeet Singh, Radha Krishan, Sourav Gupta, Manoj Tandan, Abhishek Gupta, Nakul Gupta, Naresh Kumar, Suraj Peer, Yashpaul Nargotra, Asha Sethi, Rahul Nargotra, Munish Rakwal, Deepak Kumar, Narender Sharma, Devinder Gupta and Tarsem Gupta also participated in the celebrations.
