Devotees from different parts of the Telugu states take a dip in the Krishna River at Durga Ghat in Vijayawada on Sunday to mark Mahasivaratri. | Photo credit: GN RAO
Vijayawada witnessed a staggering surge in devotion on Sunday (February 15, 2026) as thousands of pilgrims flocked to Shiva temples across the city and surrounding areas to celebrate Mahasivaratri.
From the early hours of the morning, long queues formed outside prominent shrines with devotees patiently waiting for darshan and chanting ‘Om Namah Siva’. Special rituals including ‘Mahanyasa Abhishekam’, ‘Rudra Abhishekam’ and ‘Rudra Homams’ were performed in several temples and attracted a large number of devotees.
Major temples including Indrakeeladri Peak Sivalayam, Patha Sivalayam, Challapalli Bungalow Sivalayam, Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple at Yanamalakudur, Sri Vagdevi Aadhyatmika Kshetram and other places witnessed heavy footfall throughout the day.
The celebrations began with devotees taking a sacred dip in the river Krishna. The bathing ghats, especially the Durga Ghat, were full of devotees who arrived before dawn to perform the sacred rituals. Jamgama Devaras offered blessings to the devotees at the ghats. Temples were adorned with decorative ‘thoranams’ and ‘mandapams’, while flexible slabs depicting Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were installed at several places. The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the darshan and the crowd.
At the Kanaka Durga Temple, the priests of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy performed special abhishekams during the day, followed by Lingodbhava Kala Abhishekam at night and ceremonial Siva-Parvati Kalyanam. In keeping with tradition, descendants of the Siva Bhakta Markandeya lineage presented handwoven robes, bangles and flowers to the ruling deities and carried offerings on bamboo plates.
In Yanamalakudur, thousands queued since early morning for darshan at the Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy temple. Police diverted traffic to manage the crowds. The Prabha Mahotsavam at the temple has emerged as a major highlight, offering devotees a grand and spiritually uplifting experience that has remained a cherished part of the celebrations over the years.
Published – 15 Feb 2026 19:35 IST