BANGALORE: For those who did not know about the significance of the day and stepped out on Monday, found queues in front of temples. It led to this remark online: An easy way to find out the difference between Saivaite and Vashnavaite temples in the city — The snake (read queues) stepped out on Mahashivaratri.
It is a significant festival for the Hindus and the most important festival for millions of devotees of Lord Shiva around the world. The legend goes that whoever worships Lord Shiva on this day is absolved of all sins and is liberated from mortal life for ever.
Though every thirteenth day of the waning moon is listed as Shivaratri in the Hindu calendar, today is the biggest festival. The bigger temples installed temporary structures to accommodate the crowd. Many volunteers and temple trusts provided water and juice for the waiting devotees. Food however was not easily available as most devotees, especially women, fast through the day. Fresh meat too was not available with Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike banning the sale of meat for Shivaratri on Monday.
Art of Living organised a Maha Sudarshan Kriya, Maha Rudrabhishekam and organised a day-long satsang. Various other temples including Nimishananda Ashram at Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Shiva temple on old Airport Road celebrated Mahashivaratri from 6 pm onwards with discourse and meditation. Devotional songs, dance performances, plays and Harikatha recitals were being held at even small temples to help devotees stay awake through the night.