It is celebrated four times over a course of 12 years. The Kumbh draws lakhs of pilgrims over the course of approximately 55 auspicious days to bathe at the Sangam. Prayagraj: Devotees gather to take a holy dip on the occasion of 'Maha Shivaratri' festival during the ongoing Kumbh Mela, in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Monday, March 4, 2019.
With a view to counter any terrorist activity, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) commandoes, anti-sabotage commandoes with snipers, bomb disposal units, sniffer dog squads and intelligence units have also been pressed into service, they said. The entire Kumbh Mela area has been demarcated into nine zones and 20 sectors with the deployment of over 20,000 police personnel, 6,000 homeguards, 40 police stations, 58 outposts, 40 fire stations, 80 companies of central force and 20 companies of PAC, the police said. Prayagraj: Devotees offer prayer and take holy dip on the occasion of 'Maha Shivaratri' festival during the ongoing Kumbh Mela, in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Monday, March 4, 2019. It is mandatory to visit the temple and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. The Uttar Pradesh Police has also geared up for a seamless and incident-free Kumbh, spread over 3,200 hectare land in Sangam city. Maha Shivaratri is celebrated on 4th March 2019. Mahashivaratri in Ujjain is concentrated around Mahakaleshwar temple and it also witnesses a lot of devotees from all over the country for the Shivaratri festival.Elaborate arrangements have been made by administration for the last bathing ritual of the Kumbh, which expects around one crore devotees at the mega event held at the Sangam. Display of traditional fare and a variety of handicrafts besides the rural circus show, magic shows, folk theatre, and merry-go-rounds add to the excitement. The highpoint of the Shivaratri celebrations at the Matangeshwar Temple is the 10-day-long fair that witness the participation of traders, peddlers and gipsies from other parts of the state. A large number of Lord Shiva devotees flock the Matangeshwar Temple and worship throughout the night. Bundelkhand Region, which has a stronghold of Shaivites hosts the biggest Shivaratri celebrations in the state. As a tradition, people in Madhya Pradesh take a holy dip in Sagar tank on the occasion of Mahashivaratri in Khajuraho. Shivaratri is celebrated with religious fervour in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Known For : Light and Sound Show, Khajuraho Dulhadev Temple Kandariya Mahadev Temple Shubh Muhurats for Maha Shivratri Tithi are Abhijit Muhurat 12:16 PM to 01:02 PM and Amrit Kaal 03:33 AM on 5-March-2019 to 05:21 AM on 5-March-2019. The Tithi will observe Shravan Nakshatra with Parigha Yoga. Chaturdashi Tithi Ends 19:07 on 5-March-2019. After the procession, everyone returns back to the temple, offers their prayers and perform rituals. Chaturdashi Tithi Starts 16:28 on 4-March-2019. As marijuana is considered as the blessing of Lord Shiva, a lot of people do it here for religious reasons. The procession lasts roughly about 5 hours and it is celebrated with loud music in the background and people consuming Bhaang (a form of marijuana legal and common in Varanasi) and dancing in the procession. After the preparation, a parade starts which goes in southern part of the city and finally ends at the Tilbhandeshwar temple where it typically starts from. The preparation starts early in the morning with the committee choosing the right character for the parade. The wedding procession of Shiva In Varanasi, several temples organize a wedding baaraat where a lot of people play the role of different Gods and Goddesses. Mahashivaratri in Varanasi sees more than a million Hindus from all over India come to the famous Shiva temple and perform rituals many of them stay on fast. The spiritual capital of India, Varanasi has one of the most important Shiva temples in the country and hence it’s quite natural that Maha Shivaratri is celebrated in Varanasi a grand manner. Known For : Kashi Vishwanath Temple Ganga Aarti, Varanasi Dashashwamedh Ghat