Preparation in full swing for Mahashivratri at Odisha’s Lingaraj temple

Bhubaneswar: In view of influx of devotees and crowd to the centuries old Lingaraj temple in Old Bhubaneswar for Mahashivratri celebration, elaborate arrangements will be made by the Commissionerate police for smooth conduct of annual festival of Lord Shiva.

At a preparatory meeting chaired by Police Commissioner YB Khurania on Friday, it was decided that 25 platoons of police forces will be deployed in four shifts at Lingaraj temple on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

Five police officers in Additional ACP rank, 11 ACPs and 100 senior officers will be deployed under supervision of DCP Satyabrat Bhoi. The security personnel both men and women will keep vigil on the devotees and their activities in civil dress.

Besides, CCTV cameras will be verified to monitor the situation and vigil will be kept on possible antisocial activities including chain snatching or misbehaviour towards women devotees. The crowd will be controlled inside and outside the temple at around 1 am onwards on Mahashivratri.

On the other hand, arrangements will be made for controlling the vehicular traffic and law and order situation. The Commissionerate police at the meeting decided to make parking system at BM High School, Subhadra Mahatab High School and Gosagareswar UP School for the vehicles.

BMC Mayor Ananata Narayan Jena, who attended the meeting, announced to provide the water bottles worth Rs 50,000 to beat the heat for devotees coming far off places to have darshan of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day.

The civic body will also make arrangements for lights on the streets and cleaning of drain. The bulls, which are making obstructions on the road, will be taken to Kanjiahuda at Unit-3 just two days before Mahashivratri.

As no city bus is travelling to Lingaraj temple these days, the BMC also assured the servitors to sort out the issue ahead of the festival.

Further discussion will be made soon about temple rituals for Mahashivratri.

Among others, Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda, Trust Board members, the Lingaraj temple servitors and other representatives were present at the meeting and exchanged their views for conducting Mahashivratri festival at the temple.