Women Lead Grand Shiva Procession at Neelkantheshwar Mahadev Temple
Lucknow: The festival of Maha Shivratri was celebrated with great fervor across India. In the capital city, long queues of devotees were seen at every Shiva temple from the early morning hours. At the renowned Mankameshwar Dham, devotees began lining up from the previous night to offer water to Lord Shiva. The administration ensured proper arrangements so that devotees faced no inconvenience. Similarly, the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Rajajipuram witnessed long queues of devotees since dawn.
At the Budheshwar Temple, a large number of worshippers thronged the premises, chanting praises of Lord Shiva. Women also showed remarkable enthusiasm in the celebrations.
At the Neelkantheshwar Mahadev Temple in Sarvodaya Nagar, long queues of Shiva devotees were seen throughout the day. The temple administration was actively engaged in providing better facilities for devotees. A grand Shiva procession was organized by women, adding to the spiritual grandeur of the festival.
On this sacred occasion, the temple’s head priest, Acharya Neeraj Shukla, explained the significance of Lord Shiva’s divine glory through Sanskrit verses:
कामाध्वरत्रिपुरकालगराद्यनेक
भूतद्रुह:क्षपयत:स्तुतये न तत् ते।
यस्त्वन्तकाल इदमात्मकृतं स्वनेत्र-
वह्निस्फुलिङ्गशिखया भसितं न वेद।।
The meaning of the verse, as explained by Acharya Shukla, is that Lord Shiva has destroyed Kamadeva, Daksha’s yajna, Tripurasura, and the deadly poison Kalakoot along with numerous malevolent beings. However, such deeds do not define His greatness. At the time of cosmic dissolution, the entire universe, created by Shiva Himself, is reduced to ashes by the flames emerging from His third eye, yet He remains unaware, lost in deep meditation.
The temple’s chief organizer, Pandit Amaresh Shukla, along with other committee members, ensured that all arrangements for the devotees were well-managed, making the celebrations seamless and spiritually enriching.
