Warangal: Maha Shivaratri was celebrated in a grand manner at Shiva temples across the erstwhile Warangal district on Wednesday. Devotees arrived in large numbers from early morning to have darshan of Lord Shiva, with long queues forming outside the temples as worshippers sought blessings on this auspicious night.
In particular, Kaleshwaram saw a significant influx of devotees not only from Telangana but also from neighbouring Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. After taking holy dips at the Triveni Sangam of the Godavari, Pranahita, and Saraswati rivers, pilgrims offered special prayers at the historic Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy Temple. This temple, renowned for its unique architecture and over a thousand years of history, houses two Shivalingas — one dedicated to Lord Shiva and the other to Yama, the god of death.
To manage the large crowd, temple authorities implemented extensive arrangements, including expanding VIP ghats, constructing new roads at Pushkara Ghat, and setting up dressing rooms to facilitate rituals and ensure the comfort of pilgrims.
Additionally, new restrooms, rest areas, drinking water stations, and food provisions have been established, supported by officials from 12 different departments, to maintain hygiene and cater to the needs of the devotees.
Meanwhile, at the historic Thousand Pillars temple in Hanamkonda, a large number of worshippers had darshan of Sri Rudreshwara Swamy Temple, presenting Maredu leaves and performing abhishekams and special pujas from the early hours of the day.
