Devotees participating in pujas at a Shiva temple during the Mahashivaratri celebrations in Hubballi on Sunday. | Photo credit: KIRAN BAKALE
Devotees queuing outside the Shiva temple in Malmaruti Extension during the Mahashivaratri celebrations in Belagavi on Sunday. | Photo credit: PK BADIGER
Mahashivaratri was celebrated in the entire North Karnataka region. Special pujas were held in different temples in different towns and villages.
A huge crowd of devotees thronged the Shivaratri Jatra Mahotsav of Sadguru Sri Siddharoodh Swamy at Hubballi on Sunday.
Devotees from all over the country came on foot and in vehicles, raising slogans like Sri Siddharoodha Maharajki Jai, while members of many organizations served them by distributing water and fruit slices.
They paid obeisance to the samadhis of the past seers Sri Siddharoodh and Sri Gurunatharudha.
Sri Siddharoodha Swamy Rathotsava will be held on Monday.
Mahashivaratri puja programs were organized in various temples. Mahashivaratri vigil was held at Sri Ramalingeshwara Temple in Unkal. Thousands of devotees participated.
KLE Society President Prabhakar Kore offers puja during his visit to Sri Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna for Mahashivaratri celebrations on Sunday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Devotees reached the historic Chandramouleshwara temple in Unkal and queued up for darshan since morning.
A large number of devotees came to the Ishwar Temple at Hubballi railway station.
They offered dates, Holige and Kaduba and fruits. Bhajans are held day and night.
Rituals were also held at Budanagudda Basavanna Devara Temple.
In Dharwad, various rituals were performed at the Someshwar temple. Devotees dressed in traditional attire carried offerings of milk, water and bael leaves.
Many observed a day-long fast and sang devotional songs in the evening. Some Mahila Mandals organized bhajan singing and dancing programs in the temple premises. Celebrations were also organized at the Mudi Maruti Temple in Mangalwarpeth.
In Belagavi, long queues of devotees were found outside the temples. Police cordoned off the area around the Sri Kapileshwar Temple.
Leaders visited temples. Chairman of KLE Society Prabhakar Kore visited Sri Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna. He said that he has been going to the temple since childhood along with his father and family members. His friends like Srikant Virgi, Anil Bagi, Bharat Banavane, Ajit Desai, Vijay Jadhav, Ashok Ghorpade, Suresh Patil and others were present.
Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, son Mrunal Hebbalkar and her brother and MLC Channaraj Hattiholi visited the Kapileshwar temple. She said she prayed for the welfare of the state.
Religious programs were conducted with great devotion and grandeur at the Shivalaya located in the KLE Society premises.
Special rituals including Maha Rudrabhishek were performed in the morning as per traditional customs.
KLE Society Directors Mahantesh Kavatagimath and Preeti Kore Dodawad, Vice Chancellor SS Mahantashetti, Director Rajesh Pawar and Temple Committee President Vishwanath Pattan Shetty and others were present on the occasion. The head priest of Vedamurtha Shankaraya Hiremath led the rituals.
MLA Shashikala Jolle and her husband and former MP Anna Saheb Jolle visited Sri Mahadev Mandir in Nippani.
Published – 15 Feb 2026 21:25 IST