Bengaluru, Feb 26 : Maha Shivratri was being celebrated with great fervour across Karnataka on Wednesday. Shiva temples throughout the state were adorned with flower decorations, and devotees lined up in front of ancient temples in various cities for 'darshan' and special prayers.

People across the state decorated their homes with garlands and conducted special worship in their residences.

Special sweets such as 'tambittu' and 'ellu unde' (a dish made with sesame seeds) were prepared at home, while many elders and devotees observed fasting on this auspicious occasion.

In Bengaluru, known as the Silicon City, thousands of devotees visited the 17th-century Kadu Malleshwara temple in Malleshwaram. The Maha Shivratri festival is the temple's most significant annual celebration. A unique feature of the temple is the Nandi bull statue, from whose mouth water flows onto the Shiva Linga. Scientific research suggests that this phenomenon is caused by an underground spring feeding the Nandi's mouth.

At the Shivoham Shiva temple on Airport Road, where a massive 65-foot-tall Shiva statue stands, devotees queued for over a kilometre. Located in Bengaluru's tech corridor, the temple is a major centre of devotion. The entrance features a 25-foot-tall Shiva Lingam.

Thousands of devotees also thronged the famous Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple, also known as the cave temple, which dates back to the 16th century and is located in Chamarajpet. This temple is renowned for a unique annual phenomenon that occurs on Makar Sankranti when sunlight passes through an arc between the horns of Nandi and directly illuminates the Shiva Linga inside the cave for an hour.

BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra extended his greetings, saying, "Heartfelt greetings to all the people of the state on the occasion of Mahashivratri! May the almighty Lord Parameshwara bring happiness, peace, and prosperity into everyone's life on this auspicious day. I pray that Lord Shiva's blessings be upon you all."

The police department has made extensive security arrangements across the city, as temples will remain open until early Thursday morning, with devotees visiting throughout the night.

At the Art of Living Centre in Bengaluru, the relics of the original Somnath Jyotirlinga kept at the ashram, have been a major attraction for devotees. The ashram stated that these sacred fragments belonged to the original Somnath Jyotirlinga, which was believed to have been destroyed in 1026 CE when Mahmud of Ghazni attacked and demolished the revered Somnath Temple.

Additionally, thousands of devotees visited Sadguru Sannidhi in Chikkaballapur to seek the darshan of Adiyogi and Yogeshwar Linga.

/IANS