Kapaleshwar temple is known for the only Shiva temple without the Nandi sitting in front of the linga.
Mahashivratri was celebrated in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar with religious fervour on Monday.
Around two lakh devotees gathered in the small town of Trimbakeshwar at the foothills of Brahamagiri mountain.
The temple of Trimbakeshwar is known for its shivalinga, also revered as one of the 12 jyotirlingas. Trimbakeshwar is the only temple, where the lingam is not cylindrical upwards but is inward like a bowl, which is considered as the unison of Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh. Devotees thronged Trimbak a day before, on Sunday, to witness the mahapuja of the ‘Trimbakraja’ at midnight.
A palkhi procession of the deity was taken out at midnight, and mahapuja and abhishek was conducted at the Shreekshetra Kushawarta Tirtha, the holy pond where Godavari re-emerges after it begins its journey from Gangadwar, on the Brahamagiri mountain.
According to mythology, Godavari, the sister of river Ganga, emerged from the jata of Lord Shiva who was meditating on the mountain. The place is hence considered holy and revered.
Special pujas were performed at the temple thrice through Monday. The town was decorated with flowers and rangoli carpets en route the procession.
The temple remained open through the day and night, to enable devotees seek darshan.
Police bandobast was heavy in Trimbak. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) arranged for special buses.
In Nashik, Naroshankar and Kapaleshwar temples saw people queuing up for darshan since early morning. People thronged the Ramkund for the holy dip and headed to the two temples situated on the banks of Godavari.
People offered trifoliate bael or bilwa leaves (botanical name Aegle marmelos), performed milk abhishek throughout the day.
People observed fast and savoured special delicacies.
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