Jamshedpur hosts Maha Aarati, bhajan evening at Domuhani

Health Minister Banna Gupta attends

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Feb 18: State Health Minister Banna Gupta participated in the Maha Aarati organized at Sonari Domuhani on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. Thousands of people gathered at the venue to participate in the celebration. The Minister performed aarati in the presence of priests and sadhus from Varanasi amidst Vedic chants. Chants of Om Namah Shivay could be heard throughout the programme.

Terming the event as historic, Gupta said he had prayed to Lord Shiva for the peace and prosperity of one and all. He said he had sought divine blessings for the state of Jharkhand. He said the confluence of Kharkai and Swarnarekha at the Domuhani had become a confluence of hearts devoted to Lord Shiva. In the evening, renowned Bhojpuri singer Bharat Sharma Vyas and his team presented devotional bhajans before a huge crowd. Elaborate arrangements were made for the event. Security arrangements were made to control the crowd at various places.  

Meanwhile, after a gap of two years with the end of Covid-19 , Mahashivratri was celebrated with religious fervour in the steel city on Saturday, with devotees observing fast and offering prayers at different temples of Lord Shiva.

 The chants of ‘Om Namah Shivay’ reverberated. Thousands of devotees thronged various Shiv temples and offered ‘bel patra’ and milk to the deity. Temples remained crowded since the wee hours till late at night. A large number of devotees visited the temples. People from nearby rural areas were also seen.

Thousands of Hindu faithful thronged the temples since midnight. Long queues were seen at the famous Shiva temples. District administration made tight security arrangements at temples to avoid any untoward incident.

Also known as Shivaratri, the festival celebrates the convergence of Shiva and Shakti on the Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi of Hindu calendar month Maagha. Women observe fast and offer prayers both to Lord Shiva and Parvati to seek a blissful married life.

Among the many legends associated with Maha Shivratri are marriage of Shiva and Shakti and Ganga’s descent from the heavens to the earth. Maha Shivratri also marks the night when Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava” dance.

Devotees offer Bael or golden apple to Lord Shiva and chant the sacred Panchakshara mantra dedicated to Lord Om Namah Shivaya on this day, which is celebrated across India.

According to the Hindu Mythology, Maha Shivratri is associated with the marriage of Shiva and Parvati and is observed on the 13th night /14th day of the Hindu month of Phalguna or Maagh every year.

In temples, offerings of Bael leaves to Shiva are made along with observing all-day fasting and night-vigil with chants of “Om Namah Shivaya”. Some devotees perform special rituals and penances to gain boons by the practice of Yoga and meditation to attain moksha or salvation.

District administration made tight security arrangements at temples to avoid any untoward incident.

Devotees offered milk, ‘bel patras’ and other traditional ‘jungle fruits’ to Lord Shiva. Rudraabhishek and maha-aarti were also performed in temples to celebrate the wedding of Shiv and Parwati. People also observed fast.

At Sakchi Shiv Mandir, Mahashivaratri’ celebrations began since wee hours. Long queues were seen outside this temple. The Kanwariyas also took out processions from areas near the temple. According to temple authorities, the influx of devotees was comparatively high this year as it was Saturday.