Argus News - Chief Secretary Anu Garg Chairs Meeting To Ensure Orderly 'Maha Shivratri' At Lingaraj Temple

Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: A high-level meeting chaired by Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg was held to review arrangements for the orderly conduct of rituals and worship at Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, with a special focus on managing the upcoming Maha Shivratri festival.

The meeting took place on Wednesday at the conference hall of Lok Seva Bhavan. Discussions centred on ensuring that the daily rituals and worship practices at the Lingaraj Temple are carried out smoothly and in a disciplined manner. Garg stressed the need for strict adherence to established rituals and emphasised maintaining order during the JMaha Shivratri festival, which is scheduled to be observed on February 15.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary said Lord Lingaraj is a revered deity for devotees across Odisha, and any negligence in the conduct of rituals is unacceptable. She noted that a large turnout of devotees is expected on February 15, as many people are keen to have darshan of the deity on the occasion. Managing the crowd and ensuring orderly darshan for all devotees would be a major challenge, she said.

Garg underlined that coordinated efforts among senior state government officials, the police administration, the fire services, temple servitors and nijogas (servitor groups), along with cooperation from the general public, are essential for the smooth conduct of the festival. She cautioned that even minor lapses could lead to untoward incidents. To address these challenges, she advised departmental officials to prepare a clear road map to ensure disciplined management of the festival while respecting the religious sentiments of devotees.

The meeting also discussed ensuring timely completion of rituals and worship in coordination with servitors and nijogas, arrangements for orderly darshan, and measures to safeguard the health of devotees inside the temple. These include ensuring adequate ventilation, provision of oxygen support if required, and robust fire safety arrangements.

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Participants further discussed disseminating information related to rituals and their timings through television, radio, print media and public address systems to keep devotees informed. The proposal to assign additional responsibilities to senior officers with prior experience in managing large religious events to ensure the smooth conduct of the Maha Shivratri -- also known as 'Jaagar' in Odisha -- was also deliberated.