Festive gaiety marked the celebration of Sivaratri on Friday as women and children queued up to offer prayers at numerous Siva temples dotting the city. Women fasted, offered flowers and feasted on fruits after sunset.
Early-morning prayers
One of the oldest Siva temples at Beeramguda on the city outskirts, as well as Keesaragutta, saw thousands of devotees arriving to pray and pour milk on Sivaling right from 6 a.m. The scene was replayed at many temples through the city with pilgrims jostling to get inside and offer prayers. A higher than normal day temperature failed to dampen their spirits.
The Siva temples were lit up in the night for the ritual bhajans to stay awake through the night.
Many Siva temples saw day-long chanting of Siva stotram . Fruit sellers raised the prices as the demand surged. Green seedless grapes which were retailing for ₹ 40 and ₹50 were sold for ₹60 upwards on the street and ₹90 at upscale malls.
