Bhubaneswar: Maha Shivratri drew large crowds to Shaiva temples across Odisha Sunday, with authorities stepping up security and crowd-management measures.
Huge gatherings of devotees were seen in Major shrines, including Lingaraj temple, Dhabaleswar temple in Cuttack, Kapilash temple in Dhenkanal, Akhandalamani temple in Bhadrak, Chandaneswar in Balasore, Huma temple in Sambalpur, Loknath temple in Puri, Mahendragiri in Gajapati, Harishankar temple in Bolangir and Gupteswar in Koraput district.
Similarly, devotees from Gajapati, Rayagada and Kandhamal districts, and some adjoining districts of Andhra Pradesh visited Mahendragiri hill in Gajapati early in the morning.
Gajapati SP Jatindra Kumar Panda said five platoons of police have been deployed at the hills in view of the Maha Shivaratri.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik extended Maha Shivaratri greetings to the people.
Arrangements at Lingaraj Temple:
The Mahadeepa is scheduled to be raised at 10 pm. Police said they are expecting lakhs of worshippers through the day and late evening.
The police commissioner reviewed traffic and security preparations ahead of the festival. Officials said 41 platoons and around 200 officers will be deployed in and around the temple premises.