CHENNAI: Lakhs of devotees across Tamil Nadu celebrated Maha Shivaratri with traditional fervour and night-long vigils at Shaivite shrines on Sunday, with major gatherings reported in Chennai, Thanjavur, and Coimbatore.
At the historic Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore, a diverse crowd of pilgrims, including international tourists and students, queued for hours to offer prayers.
A visiting foreign national expressed her excitement at the vibrant atmosphere, describing the temple as magnificent and the occasion as a lucky opportunity to witness Indian spiritual traditions. "We've just arrived at your magnificent temple and can't wait to go inside and see what it's all about," she told PTI Videos, adding that the day was "fantastic" and "very colourful."
The spiritual atmosphere was equally palpable at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore, where the annual celebrations were held in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as the chief guest.
The event, led by Sadhguru, featured the Yogeshwara Linga Maha Abhishekam and night-long musical performances.
Similar fervour was seen at the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, where devotees flocked for a glimpse of the deity throughout the day.
Reflecting the pan-Indian appeal of the festival, Vasu, a student from Punjab, said he had come specifically to take darshan of Lord Shiva.
Another student from VIT College, originally from Kerala, shared her joy in participating in the Shivaratri rituals in Chennai.
While many planned for the night-long jagran, some devotees chose to visit early to avoid the Monday morning rush.
"Tomorrow is a working day, so if we wait for the night, it will be a problem for the office. That's why we are visiting two or three temples today on Sunday," a local devotee at Kapaleeshwarar temple told PTI Videos.