Myriad events lined up for Mahashivaratri

The City is all set to observe Mahashivaratri with a number of religious and cultural programmes being organised to mark the occasion.

Various Shiva temples in the City, like the Vasavi Kannika Parameshwari temple in Vijayanagar, have been spruced up for the religious event. Bangalore is dotted with many historic temples, where devotees throng every year.

These include Someshwara and Chandramouleshwara temples at Halasur, Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple at Gavipuram, Mallikarajunaswami and Dodda Basavanna temple at Basavanagudi, Rameshwara temple at Chamarajpet, Kashi Vishwanatha at Balepet, Kadu Malleshwara and Nandi Teertha at Malleswaram, Sringeri Shankar Mutt at Shankarapuram, Avani Sringeri Mutt near Kurubarahalli, Meenakshi Sundareshwara temple at Hulimavu, Nageshwara temple at Nagarathpet and Ekambareshwara temple at Shivajinagar.

A grand puja has been organised at the Shiva temple on Old Airport Road which has a tall Shiva statue. Maha Shivaratri will be celebrated in the presence of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the Art of Living International Centre with Maha Sudarshan Kriya, Maha Rudrabhishekam, Maha Satsang 5 pm onwards. The highlight of the celebrations will be a Rudra pooja led by Sri Ravi Shankar.

Nimishananda Ashram, Rajarajeshwari Nagar will be celebrating Mahashivaratri 6 pm onwards with discourse and meditation by Nimishananda Guruji interpersed with bhajans and keertans. Devotees can perform abhisheka with Ganga jal and will be given vibhuti prasada brought from Kashi Vishwanatha temple, Chidambara Nataraja temple and Arunachaleshwara temple of Tiruvannamalai.

Rendition of devotional songs, Bharatanatyam performances, plays and Harikatha recitals have been organised at various temples and venues through the night.