Devotees queue up at temples to seek Lord Shiva’s blessings

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 21

Mahashivratri was celebrated with religious fervour in the city on Friday. A large number of devotees made a beeline at Shivalas to offer soothing ingredients such as milk and honey and sought blessings of Lord Shiva.

Langar was organised in various parts of the city to celebrate the annual festival. However, at many places, langar was organised on road, impeding the smooth flow of traffic. A large number of devotees thronging the stalls added to the road congestion.

Traffic jams were seen on Shivala, Hussainpura, outside Hall Gate, Queen’s, Cooper, MM Malviya, Majitha, Batala and other roads in the city.

Shammi Arora, a housewife, said, “ It took me a long time from my house near Hussainpura Chowk to reach Guru Nanak Dev Hospital.”

At some places, disposable glasses, plates and leftovers of eatables were littered on the road after wrapping up of the langers in the evening.

Pawandeep Sharma, a social activist, said it was a high time to equally stress on removal of waste and maintain hygiene-level during langar. He said many langar organisers had put up containers for consigning waste but public did not follow the rule. They threw the refuse at will causing littering on roads. The Amarnath Sewa Mandal celebrated the festival with a 5,100 pound cake and 251 varieties of sweet dishes. Cabinet Minister OP Soni and MLA Sunil Dutti also visited the stall.

Raj Kumar Verka, MLA, announced Rs 21 lakh grant for a dharamshala at Bhaiyan Da Shivala after paying a obeisance there.

Meanwhile, former cabinet minister and senior BJP leader Anil Joshi accused the Capt Amarinder Singh government of ignoring Hindu festival of Mahashivratri. He said the Congress government did not even issue a congratulatory statement wishing people on the occasion of festival.

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