News
Monday, February 20, 2012
Indian pilgrims to celebrate Maha Shivratri at Katas Raj today* Festival celebrates marriage of Lord Shiva to goddess Parvati
Staff Report
LAHORE: Indian Hindu Yatrees’ (pilgrims) delegation comprising 50 members will celebrate the ritual of Maha Shivratri at Katas Raj, Chakwal, today (Monday).
The delegation will leave the city (Lahore) today early in the morning under tight security. Maha Shivaratri (Night of Shiva) is a Hindu festival that celebrates the marriage of Lord Shiva to goddess Parvati, and holds immense importance in Hindu religion. Devotees stand in long queues outside the temples with religious offerings to worship Lord Shiva. The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to Lord Shiva, all day fasting and a nightlong vigil.
According to Hindu mythology, a Hindu goddess, Parvati, prayed and meditated on this day to ward off any evil that might befall her husband on the moonless night. Since then, Maha Shivaratri is believed to be an auspicious occasion for women to pray for the well-being of their husbands and sons. An unmarried woman prays for a husband like Shiva, who is considered to be the ideal husband. Katas Raj is a Hindu temple situated in Chakwal. Most of the temples located within 40 km from Chakwal were built during the reign of Hindu kings. These temples were built around 900 years ago. During 2006-07, Pakistan decided to place idols of Hindu gods in the temples and restored them to their original state to attract Hindu visitors.
Indian delegation of Hindu yatrees reached Lahore two days ago (on Saturday morning) through Wagah border. Evacuee Trust Property Board Pakistan Chairman Asif Hashmi and other officials received the delegation. The delegation will return to their homeland on February 23 after offering their religious rituals. The last delegation of Hindu yatrees visited Pakistan in 2006, but due to terrorism and military rule in the country, regular visits of Hindu temples by Indians yatrees remained suspended. The coalition government of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) started to restore and normalise Pak-India relations and provided facilities for the visiting pilgrims from India.
Talking to Daily Times, Hindu Welfare Council Chairman Shiv Pratap Raj said that whenever the Hindu pilgrims came to Pakistan for holy festivals like Shivratri or Diwali, they were warmly welcomed. He added that they were in Pakistan for development of good relations between the two neighbours. “Minorities present here in Pakistan are given full freedom to celebrate their holy events,” said the chairman.
He further stated that Pakistan had always treated minorities with love and care, which was a major factor for increase of friendship and harmony between Pakistan and India, which had spent several past decades as rivals. He also thanked Syed Asif Hashmi for much better arrangements than ever before. He said that people of both sides wished to visit each other’s country.
The Hindus living in Pakistan have visited the Katas Raj to observe the Maha Shivratri festival a day before (on Sunday) the Indian delegation’s visit to the temples, due to security reasons. Pakistani Hindus also held a vigil at the lake of Katas Raj.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk