The festival of Mahashivratri is celebrated by Hindus everywhere in India and abroad to honour the deity, Shiva. Mahashivratri was celebrated at Shivalaya at the Kalibari Ma temple complex. Kalibari temple was well decorated, and Rattan, the electrician, completed the lighting work, and all three pujaries remained busy performing their duties. A long queue of devotees was seen waiting for their turn to come to do Jalabhishek and Dhughdhabhishek at Shivalinga.
Devotees came to Shivalaya carrying a big plate full of milk, honey, curd, belpara, bel fruit, tilak, a pot filled with water, mauli, flow- ers, and diya, etc., to worship Lord Shiva and Ma Parwati while chanting Shiva Mantras.
Many devotees were observed coming to the complex without wearing shoes or slippers and performing pooja archana on their own in the usual manner by chanting Shiv bhakti songs and mantras, but most of the devotees were reciting Shiv Arti and a few were recit- ing Rudrastak, which is a popular prayer of Lord Shiva.
All ladies coming to Shivalya were seen coming from home covering their heads. Few were observed chanting the Vedic mantras of Lord Shiva. For the convenience of devotees, a few stalls were set up at the entrance of the temple selling flowers, bel patra, bel, and dhatura fruits, which are more favoured by Shiva. Worshipping of Shiva continued from early morning to beyond evening arti time at Ma temple. Devotees came at their convenient time. It’s believed that young girls worship Lord Shiva for getting a better life partner. Many devotees were reluctant to keep their shoes/slippers at the shoe rack, but Gurudwaras have more discipline for keeping shoes at the shoe rack before devotees enter Darbarsahib. The managing committee of the Kali Bari temple is advised to depute a volunteer em-ployee to properly keep shoes during festivals. As expected, the Shiv Mandir in E Block was packed with devotees patiently waiting for darshan. The long wait did little to dampen the enthusiasm of worshippers.
