Balasore: Lakhs of devotees turned out at the holy shrine of Lord Chandaneswar to take part in the Nila Parba part of the Chandaneswar Chadaka mela on Thursday.
The Chandaneswar temple of Lord Shiva is located at Chandaneswar in Bhograi block of Balasore district.
On the occasion of Nila Parba the representative idol of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati ‘Stambi Katha’ is taken out of the Nila pokhari (pond).
Devotees took a dip in the Nila pokhari with the Stambi Katha and then carried it on their shoulders for a circumambulation (parikrama) of the temple seeking blessings of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati.
According to the legend, Lord Shiva after consuming the poison extracted during the churning of the ocean had turned blue under its impact and immersed himself at the Nila pokhari.
Only on the occasion of Nila Parba, Lord Shiva comes out of Nila pokhari to bless his devotees.
It is believed that Lord Shiva absorbs all the sufferings of a devotee upon him/her touching the Stambi Katha (the representative idol of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati).
In view of the heavy footfall at the shrine, the local administration has made elaborate police arrangements.
