Ahmedabad set to celebrate Mahashivratri today

The city is set to celebrate Mahashivratri with religious fervour and gaiety on Thursday. Lakhs of devotees are expected to observe fast on the occasion and visit temples to appease Lord Shiva.

To mark the occasion, many temples have planned to celebrate the festival in a special way. dna explores the plans and talks to some of the trustees and priests of the temples.

The Bhalkeshwar Mahadev temple in Khokhra has decided to discontinue the practice of offering thandai to devotees. Thandai, is considered to be Lord Shiva’s prasad.

Speaking to dna, trustee of the temple, Kamlesh Patel said: “We do not want devotees to get attracted towards thandai during Shivratri since the festival is more about fast and remembering god. However, regular prasad like pedha and other sweets will be distributed among devotees.”

The temple will carry out a huge nagar-yatra like every year in Khokhra area.

However, Bileshwar temple in Satellite area has made arrangements for thandai, but outside the temple premises so as to keep the crowd away from the temple.

The temple authorities said a counter has been set up outside the temple to offer thandai. Priest of the temple, Raju Bhatt, said: “We will prepare 3,000 litre of thandai, for which 1,500 litre of milk, 300 kg sugar, 15 kg fennel seeds, eight kg almonds, four kg pistachio etc, have been ordered.

The only temple in the city with Paara na shivling (idol of mercury), the Paarmeshwar temple at Judge’s bungalow road, has planned grand decorations of the idol.

Speaking to dna, priest of the temple, Arvind Sadhu, said that Laghurudra with yagna and pooja will also be performed.