Bhubaneswar: An accident occurred at the Lingaraj temple while lifting the Mahadeepa atop the 11th-century shrine at around 10:30 PM on Mahasivaratri on Wednesday. A servitor fell down while climbing atop the temple with the Mahadeepa.
The servitor sustained injuries, reports said. Another servitor took the sacred Mahadeepa and climbed atop the temple, placing it at the top at 10:40 PM, marking the culmination of the day-long spiritual event.
The lifting of the Mahadeep was delayed by 40 minutes due to a delay in rituals. Earlier, the temple trust board had fixed the time for the Mahadeepa at 10:00 PM. The temple atmosphere was electric with devotion and enthusiasm as servitors began their ascent with the Mahadeepa around 10:30 PM.
The air reverberated with ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, ‘Har Har Mahadev’, and ‘Hari Bol’ chanting, punctuated by the sound of ‘Hula Huli’ from the sea of devotees. Thousands of fasting devotees patiently waited inside the temple complex for the ritual’s culmination before breaking their fast.
