Puri/Cuttack/Nayagarh, August 10: Thousands of Kanwariya devotees thronged prominent Shiva shrines across Odisha on the second Monday of the holy month of Shravan to offer holy water and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.

At the famous Sri Lokanath Temple in Puri, devotees from different parts of the state gathered in large numbers to perform Jalabhishek and pray for the fulfillment of their wishes. The temple witnessed a heavy rush from the early hours of the day.

The temple doors were opened around midnight, following which Mangal Alati and other customary rituals were performed. The Jalabhishek ceremony began thereafter. In view of the massive gathering, the Lokanath Temple Trust and the police administration made elaborate arrangements to regulate the crowd.

Barricades were put up and devotees were allowed to enter the temple in queues. A ticketing system was also introduced for those wishing to offer holy water. Security personnel were deployed both inside and outside the temple to prevent any untoward incident and maintain discipline.

Meanwhile, the famous Baba Dhabaleswar shrine in Athagarh also witnessed a massive gathering of devotees. The temple doors were opened at around 4 a.m., following which Baba Dhabaleswar was bathed with 108 fragrant waters. After the completion of special rituals, the temple was opened for public darshan. Devotees had the opportunity to witness Baba Dhabaleswar in the special Bada Singhar Besha.

The second Monday of Shravan holds special religious significance, attracting devotees from across Odisha. Kanwariyas carrying holy water from various rivers and water bodies arrived at the shrine with devotion to perform Jalabhishek.

At the renowned Ladubaba shrine in Saranakul, more than 6,000 Kanwariyas had already offered holy water by the morning, while many others continued to wait in long queues. The temple opened at around 3 a.m., and after the completion of the deity's rituals, Jalabhishek began at 4 a.m.

Kanwariyas from within and outside the district brought holy water from Kantilo, Cuttack and various rivers across the state and offered it on the head of Ladubaba as part of their religious vows and prayers.

The police and temple administration have made extensive security and crowd-management arrangements at all three major shrines to ensure the smooth conduct of the rituals and maintain peace and order throughout the day.