Devotees waiting in a queue for darshan of Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy deity at Keesaragutta Temple, on the occasion of Maha Shivratri on Sunday. | Photo credit: RAMAKRISHNA G.
From first light on Sunday, thousands of people flocked to temples in Hyderabad to offer prayers on Maha Shivaratri. The festival coincided with a Sunday and crowds were beyond normal, with long queues forming at major shrines as police enforced increased security throughout the morning.
The rush of devotion had begun a day earlier. Markets were packed with shoppers buying flowers, fruits, bael leaves and sweets, a rush that spilled over into Sunday when vendors near prominent temples reported brisk business.
At the Ramalingeshwara temple atop Keesaragutta, one of the most visited Shiva shrines in the region during Maha Shivaratri, elaborate arrangements kept a steady flow of worshipers up the hill, with queuing systems and crowd control measures throughout the day.
When night fell, the city stayed awake. Residential welfare societies, colonial groups and youth clubs organized religious discourses, devotional music and cultural programmes, carrying the spirit of Jagaran for hours till dawn.
Devotees pray on the occasion of Maha Shivratri at the Sri Rama Lingeshwara Swamy Temple in Keesaragutta in Medchal-Malkajgiri district on Sunday. | Photo credit: RAMAKRISHNA G.
Meanwhile, the police have made elaborate arrangements at major temples and along key access roads to ensure smooth running of the festival. Traffic personnel were deployed to regulate vehicular movement and prevent congestion on roads leading to prominent places of worship, while additional forces were deployed to manage crowds and maintain law and order during the celebrations.
Published – 15 Feb 2026 19:51 IST