Mysore/Mysuru: The city of Mysuru is gearing up for tomorrow’s (Mar. 1) Mahashivarathri festival, a major Hindu festival celebrated in honour of Lord Shiva. It marks the remembrance of overcoming darkness and ignorance in life and the world. It is celebrated by remembering Lord Shiva and chanting prayers, night-long vigil, fasting and meditating on ethics, virtues and values.

Ahead of the festival, the ‘Golden Mask’ (Chinnada Kolaga) was brought from the District Treasury this morning to Trineshwaraswamy Temple in the Mysore Palace premises, where the presiding deity will be adorned with the Kolaga during the festival tomorrow, under the escort of armed Policemen.

After the Kolaga reached Trineshwaraswamy Temple premises, priests checked the Kolaga and all associated jewels following which they gave an acknowledgement for having received them. Chamundi Hill Temple Administrative Officer N.S. Yathiraj Sampathkumaran, Muzrai Tahsildar Krishna and other officials were present.

The rituals at Trineshwaraswamy Temple will begin as early as 5 am tomorrow and the doors of the Temple will be opened for devotees after the performance of the first puja in the name of Mysore Maharajas, at about 6.30 am. The Temple will be open for devotees all throughout the day till midnight.

As there is no permission for holding ‘Jagarane’ (night-long vigil) due to the pandemic, the devotees will be asked to leave the Palace premises after 12 am. However, there will be the distribution of ‘Prasadam’ to the devotees visiting the Temple tomorrow. All the gates of the Palace will be open for devotees.

As a security measure, the city Police have erected barricades around the Temple to enable the devotees to line up in queues for having darshan of the deity. Also, six CCTV cameras have been installed in the vicinity of the Temple to monitor crowds.

Similarly, preparations for the grand Mahashivarathri festival has begun at all Shiva Temples of the city including Kamakameshwari Temple on Ramanuja Road, Gurukula, also located on Ramanuja Road, which houses 101 Shivalingas of different sizes, Male Mahadeshwara Temple on Dairy Road in Nazarbad, Male Mahadeshwara Temples at Paduvarahalli’s Narayanaswamy Block, Kumbarakoppal and Sunnadakeri, Chandramouleshwara Temple at Mathru Mandali Circle, Vontikoppal, Amrutheshwara Temple on D. Subbaiah Road opposite Veterinary Hospital, Mrutyunjayaswamy Temple on Dhanvantri Road, Chandramouleshwara Temple on N.S. Road and other Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The District Administration has permitted the distribution of Prasadam to devotees at all Temples tomorrow. The Police have made elaborate security arrangements around all prominent Temples.