Thousands offer water to Lord Shiva in Ranchi

Ranchi: On the first Monday of Sawan, Shiva temples in the capital drew huge crowds of devotees. Monday is considered pious especially during the holy month of Saawan when devotees fast and offer water to Lord Shiva. The Mondays of Saawan hold special significance for girls who traditionally fast during the day and offer prayers. While the Pahadi Mandir on the Ratu Road remains one of the favourite destinations for most devotees, those unable to beat the rush offer their prayers at various other temples .Anand Gadodia, a member of Pahadi Mandir Management Committee, expressed happiness saying, “Around 40,000 devotees have reached the temple since morning. There are no complaints of stampede or theft in the rush this time. A team of doctors and two ambulances from Sadar Hospital are stationed here and will remain so on every Monday for emergency purposes.” “800 devotees from Lohardaga reached Kamre Ashram at 10 PM on Sunday with Kaanwar, and today they started their walk at 7 AM and reached Pahadi Mandir by 10 AM, completing their puja by 11 AM,” added Gadodia.Manoj Mishra, a priest at Pahadi Mandir, said that Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha, and Sub Divisional Magistrate Lokesh Kumar Mishra, were the first to offer puja at 2:30 AM with their families. The gates of the temple were opened for devotees at 3:30 AM, allowing them to start their worship and participation in the festivities.For security and protection, 11 Army jawans have been assigned duty to stay in and around the temple premises, working in shifts. Stalls selling paraphernalia necessary for offering puja have been set up near the temple, providing devotees with convenient access to the items required for their religious rituals. Stall owner Ashok Yadav said, “Every year during this festival , the demand for coconuts and flowers increases significantly. This time we are expecting better sales as there will be eight auspicious Mondays.” “I came to visit Pahadi Mandir for the first time and enjoyed offering puja,” said Sundaram Kumar, a resident of Saharsa. Kokar resident Sakshi Singh said, “This year offering puja was much easier than before as it was hassle-free.”Scores of devotees also offered prayers at other Shiv Mandirs located in various localities like Piska More, Harihar Singh Road, and Sureshwar Dham of the city. Neeraj Tiwary, a priest at Shiv Mandir, Harihar Singh Road said, “Around 200-300 devotees came to offer water and milk .”