R S PURA: The festival of Maha Shivratri was celebrated in the State with great pomp and show and the temples of Lord Shiva were illuminated and decorated. People started reaching temples early in the morning on Monday and paid their obeisance by offering water as well as flowers.
The festival of Lord Shiva Shivratri was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety at R S Pura Constituency. A Shiv Baarat was taken out from the Shiv Mandir at Ward No.8, R.S Pura which was attended by MLA R S Pura Dr. Gagan Bhagat and was organised by the Shiv Mandir Committee R S Pura. The Shiv Baarat passed through Main Baazar, Tehsil Baazar, Purana Pind, Bus Stand, Daljeet Chowk , Munsiff Court Baazar and Hanuman Mandir Chowk culminated near the Jat Sabha Ground. The devotees were seen dancing , singing the Bhajans of Lord Shiva.
While talking to the media on the sidelines of the function Dr. Bhagat said that Maha Shivratri is celebrated in honour of Lord Shiva on the 13th or 14th night of the Krishna Paksha (dark half or waning phase) of the moon (night before Amavasya) in the month of Phalgun by almost all sects within Hinduism. It is a day of fasting for all devotees of Lord Shiva and is one of the eight most significant days of fasting in the Hindu calendar.
Later on the committee members thanked Dr.Gagan Bhagat for his support in this religious programme. Another religious programme was organised by the Naag Devta Mandir Committee at Shiv Nagar Ward No.13 R S Pura. A Satsang was organised in which Swami Umeshanand delivered religious sermons. Dr.Gagan Bhagat also attended the programme and thanked the committee for their efforts and functions like the present one is worth praising and due to which people from all walks of life gather here and get a chance to listen the valuable teachings of the great saints adding not all the persons in the society are lucky who are able to attend such programmes.
Later on Prasad was distributed among the devotees. Prominent persons who accompanied the legislator include Om Prakash Chachu, Anil Kapur, Ramesh Verma, Inder Sudan, Gurdeep Saini, BJP Mandal Pradhan Nathram, Charanjeet, Jang Bahadur, Amir Singh, Master Balakram, Rajesh Babbu, Happy Broaka and Avtar Singh.
REASI: The main function was held in Mahadev Mandir Reasi under the management of Shrine Board Katra. MLA Reasi Ajay Nanda besides others reached the Temple and paid his obeisance by offering water, flowers and sweets.
RAMBAN: Maha Shivratri, which literally translates to great night of Shiva is a Hindu festival largely celebrated with full religious fervour enthusiasm and gaiety in Ramban. The festival is celebrated on the new moon day in the month of Maagha according to the Hindu calendar. The day is celebrated to venerate Lord Shiva, an important deity in Hindu culture.
The district and police administration Ramban made adequate security and other arrangements for the convenience of devotees in all Temples of the Ramban Town.
A large number of devotees gathered at the premises of Shiv Mander Maitra to celebrate the Mahashivratri Parva. A procession was also taken out from Prachin Shiv Mandir, Maitra Ramban, on decorated vehicles depicting Shiv Barat as part of the Yatra. The procession visited main locations and temples of the town. The devotees were chanting the Holy Name of Bhagavan Shankar ji and also singing Bhajans and dancing. Shiv Sevaks and devotees including men, women and children welcomed the Yatra by showering flowers on the Shoba Yatra. A Langer was also arranged by the Snatan Dharm Shava Maitra.
While greeting the people of district Ramban MLA Ramban, Neelam Kumar Langeh accompanied the Shoba Yatra with members of Snatan Dharm including Kunal Magotra, Vishva Bandhu Sharma, Gopal Raina, Kuldeep Chander Nagar, Ashok Kumar Puri and others besides the large gathering. On the occasion people from other religions also greeted the Hindu community.
BHADARWAH: The festival of Maha Shivratri was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety, across hilly Doda District.
People from different age groups, including children, young and elders, thronged the Shiv Temples for paying obeisance to Lord Shiva and offering water on the Holy Shivlingam. The devotees especially offered Bael and Bael Patri (Golden Apple and its leaves) to Lord Shiva amidst chanting of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’.
At Bhadarwah devotees thronged towards the Historical Gupt Ganga Temple since early in the morning where main function was organised.
For the occasion, special arrangements were made in all the Shiv temples of Doda District, particularly ancient Gupt-Ganga Temple near Jai Road Bhadarwah and Shiv Temple Lingah Gatha where heavy rush of devotees was witnessed throughout the day.
The devotees, including men, women and children, were seen waiting in queues for their turn to reach near the Shivlingam for paying obeisance and offering water with flowers.
Jaagran (nightlong vigil) was also observed in Gupt Ganga Temple , where a large number of devotees from whole Distt Doda sang hymns and devotional songs, in praise of Lord Shiva.
To facilitate the devotees, the administration had also made elaborate arrangements besides ensuring adequate security around the temples to ensure peaceful and incident free religious celebrations.
Individuals and organisations had organised Bhandaras near temples where people were served sweets and light refreshment. Devotees also observed fast today.
“The day before the Amavasya (new moon) of each lunar month is called Shivarathri. Among all the Shivarathris of the year, the one that falls in the lunar month of Magha in February-March each year is considered to be most auspicious, and is celebrated as Mahashivratri,” said Priest of Gupt Ganga Temple adding that it is considered the night when Shiva married Parvati and Shiva defeated all his enemies on this day.
While speaking a woman devotee said that on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, married and unmarried women perform Puja with great faith, as Goddess Parvati who is also called ?Gauri?, is regarded as the giver of ?Suhag? (good husbands), marital bliss and a long and prosperous married life. Gupt Ganga Temple is an important ancient religious Shrine of Distt Doda. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva with huge Shivlingham and it is believed that the Shrine has been positioned in the same place where the Pandavas spent a few days in Bhadarwah during their exile period . Even one of the rocks at the temple has the footprint of Bhim, the second Pandava brother.
POONCH: Maha Shivaratri was celebrated with great religious fervor and gaiety in Poonch District along with rest of the country. Thousands of devotees flocked every Shiva Temple and waited for hours in queues to pay obeisance to the Lord Shiva, one of the Trinities of the Hindu mythology. People also observed fast to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva
The main function was held at Shiv Khori Temple, 3 KM on north of Poonch city, where a grand Mela is organised every year on the eve of Shivratri. Brig. N.S Brar, Commander 93 Inf. Bdg along with police officers also paid obeisance to Lord Shiva.
A great enthusiasm was seen among the devout Hindus, especially women, to pay their obeisance to the Lord. People offered Bel (Wood Apple) leaves, water, milk, clarified butter (Ghee), sandalwood paste, flowers, honey, saffron, Dhatura, etc., on the Shivalingas as mark of their reverence.
Besides Shiv Khori Temple, Shri Buddha Amarnath Rajpura Mandi, Shree Guru Niwas Poonch, Dashnami Akhara, Shiv Kanhaiya Temple, Khakha Naban and Shiv Temple Kanoyian, witnessed a huge rush of people since early this morning. The temples were opened early in the morning and devotees thronged the temples throughout the day.
Additional security arrangements were made throughout the district for conducting the Shivaratri festivities smoothly in the district. Various social and religious organisations organised stalls of eatables en-route to Shiv Khori Temple.
As all over India the festival of Shivratri was celebrated in Poonch. Programmes were held at all Shiv Mandirs in Poonch to include Budha Amarnath, Shiv Mandir Khakha Nawan, Shiv Mandir Dungas, Shiv Khori, Shri Dashnami Akhara Mandir, Budha Amar nath Mandi and all other Shiv Mandirs in Poonch. DC Poonch M Haroon Malik, SSP Poonch J S Johar, Brigade Comander 93 Brigade Poonch NS Barar, Dy SP HQ Mujeeb ur Rhman and SHO Poonch Jatindar Raina were also present on the occasion who greeted people on the occasion of holy festival. Besides the members of the Mandir Committee -President Lokesh Anad, Surjeet Singh, Nishu Gupta and others who thanked district administration to provide facilities on the occasion of Holy Festival Shivratri.
KATHUA: As a part of Shivratri celebrations, Brahma Kumaris took out a Shoba Yatra at Kathua.
The Shoba Yatra which started from College Road Centre of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidhalaya was flagged off by Dr. Bharat Bhushan, Chief Executive Officer, Lakahnapur Sarthal Development Authority in the presence of revered Didi BK Veena Ji who is Director of all Brahma Kumaris Centres of Distt. Kathua.
BK Veena while speaking on the occasion told that Shivratri is the festival which reminds us of our aims and objectives in life and how we can get rid of evils and lead a pious life.
The Shoba Yatra in a cavalcade of vehicles passed through Saheedi Chowk, College Road, D.C Office, Kalibari, Hatli Morh, Sawanchak, Parliwand and culminated at Brahma Kumaris Centre located at College Road Kathua.
SUNDERBANI: Maha Shivratri festival was celebrated with zeal and religious fervour on Monday at Shiv Khori Ransoo of district Reasi and village Gandey block Sunderbani of district Rajouri. A large number of devotees came from different states in both the religious places paid obeisance and took a Shiv Langer Parshad.
Similarly in village Gandey block Sunderbani of district Rajouri near Line of Control (LOC) in old Shiv temple such as ( Prachine Shiv Mandir) approx 20 thousands devotees came and took a Langer Parshad. Priest of this Temple Mahatma Ram Sewak Dass said this Temple was made by Pandavs in Sat Yug adding that now we have redesigned this temple in a new way.
Maha Shivratri was celebrated in Shivji Mandir Patoli Brahmna, near TV tower in which Dheeraj Sharma, Veena Devi and the local residents organised a Bhandara.
The devotees prayed for the welfare of people in the area as well as peace and prosperity in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.