Mysore/Mysuru: Mahashivaratri festival was celebrated with traditional zeal and fervour in the city yesterday. Devotees made a beeline to many Shiva temples across the city, right from early morning. Some devotees also observed fast and kept night vigil, in keeping with the traditional practice.
Braving the scorching sun, devotees queued up for darshan at Trinayaneshwara Swamy Temple in the Palace premises, where the deity of Lord Shiva was adorned with a 11-kg golden mask (Chinnada Kolaga), gifted by the erstwhile Mysuru rulers in 1952 following the birth of Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. The Kolaga was brought from the District Treasury to the Temple on Thursday under tight police security. The puja began at 4.30 am, with the temple priests performing Rudrabhisheka, Bilwarchane and other rituals, following which the temple was opened for devotees, who continued to throng the temple till midnight.
