Thirty-one-year-old Pinkesh Trivedi did not go to his Mira Road home since February 26. On the night of Feb 26, the diamond trader went straight to a Shiva Temple in Bhuleshwar to celebrate Mahashivratri. From there, he went to the Babulnath Temple in Girgaum Chowpatty where he will be till the temple shuts.
On the day of Mahashivratri, Trivedi does nothing else but seva (service). This begins by first decorating the lord and then participating as volunteer looking at the constant flow of devotees who turn in the temple.
Celebrated across India, mostly by Hindus, Mahashivratri sees large number of devotees for the benevolence the lord showers on them. Among the beliefs behind the celebration are Lord Shiva's marriage with his consort, that he performed the Tandava Nritya or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction and his drinking poison to save the world.
Besides going to temples, a large number of devotees like Subhash Dixit, a retired central government employee, fast at home and pray. They also conduct 'abhishek' – a ceremonial ablution given to the lord. "Earlier we used to visit a temple but now we do most of the prayers at home," said 69-year-old Dixit who has been on serving fast for 43 years.
Prominent temples like Babulnath in Girgaum Chowpatty, Sri Bhuvaneshwar Temple and Sri Shankar Mattham in Matunga saw serpentine lines of devotees waiting to take darshan. "A pooja from early morning with Mahanyasa Rudra Ekadasa, Rudra Japam (recitals for Lord Shiva) followed by Rudra Homam (another prayer) was done at Sri Shankara Mattham. The prayers are performed to solicit the divine grace and blessings of. He is said to relieve people of fears, worries, troubles and fulfills all their of desires," said K A Viswanathan, who went to the Shankara Mattham temple and spent nearly the entire day there.
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