Week-long Mandi Mahashivratri festivities begin

Nearly 200 idols of deities from hundreds of temples were brought here -- popularly known as 'Chhoti Kashi' -- on Tuesday for the week-long Mahashivratri festivities.

Though Mahashivratri was celebrated across the country on Monday, it was observed in this historical town a day later.

The celebrations date back to 1526 when Mandi was founded during the rule of Ajbar Sen (1499-1534). He had 'invited' all the local deities to mark the founding of the new town.

This time, 216 idols of deities from different villages, were invited to participate in the festivity, Deputy Commissioner Rugved Thakur, main organiser of the festival, told IANS.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated the festival. Governor Acharya Devvrat would join in the festivities on the last day of the festival on March 11.

On the first day, a procession, called 'Jaleb', led by Lord Madho Rai, considered an incarnate of Lord Vishnu and the chief deity, was taken out.

The assembled deities followed him in decorated palanquins, as per the protocol, and assembled at the Bhutnath temple here.

Two more such processions would be taken out on March 8 and 11, said an organiser.

Deity Kamrunag, the main guest, reached the town on Sunday along with hundreds of his devotees in a colourful procession amid beating of drums.

Mandi, located on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway-21, is dotted with more than 80 temples built in typical hill architecture. The prominent temples are those of Bhutnath, Triloki Nath, Jagannath, Tarna Devi and Jalpa Devi.

The rulers of Mandi were devotees of Lord Shiva.

It is believed that Ajbar Sen saw in his dreams a cow offering milk to the idol of Lord Shiva. His dream became reality because, according to the legend, he actually once saw a cow offering milk to an idol.

He constructed a temple there in 1526 -- the Bhutnath temple.

Simultaneously, the foundation of Mandi town was laid and he shifted his capital here.

Ever since the rule of princely states came to an end, the district administration has been following the practice and inviting deities to the Mahashivratri festivities.

--IANS

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