Maha Shivratri 2022: Rajendra Sharma, Vidisha. On the occasion of Mahashivratri, everyone must have seen the reverberation of the naive in the pagodas, but hardly anyone has seen the celebration of Mahashivratri all night in the crematoriums where the dead are burnt. This unique tradition is going on for the last 40 years at the cremation ground (Muktidham) Ghat in Betwa, in which thousands of devotees participate. A day before the crematorium is decorated like a bride. There are colorful lights all around.
Children, old people, women, all kinds of devotees reach this great festival. Tomorrow on Tuesday, the festival of Mahashivratri will be celebrated with respect across the country. During this, devotees will reach the Shivalayas and perform Abhishek, Pooja Aarti. Bholenath’s procession will be taken out from place to place, but here at the cremation ground, one after the other bhajans are presented by bhajan troupes, thousands of devotees reach the city and the surrounding area to hear them.
Beginning at 9 pm, the event continues to attract devotees till early morning. The special thing is that in the crematorium, where there is a gathering of devotees throughout the night, the pyres keep blazing at a distance of few steps. Many times there have been occasions where the flames are visible from the pyre of the dead lit in the late evening and the innocence is recited in front.
Decorate the court with flower garlands
The entire court of God is decorated with flower garlands in the bone storage room located in the crematorium. Where big pictures of various deities are kept. This room is illuminated with colorful electrical decorations. The entrance to the cremation ground is attractively decorated. Here bhajan-trods perform beautiful hymns, while thousands of devotees are seen dancing in the premises outside the hall.
Devotees wait throughout the year
Amunan crematoriums are known for performing tantric rituals on special occasions such as burning of dead bodies and eclipses at night, but the organizers here believe that Shiva resides in the crematorium. Hemant Pachauri tells that his father Late. Narayanprasad Pachauri was a worshiper of Shiv Shakti. He used to experience peace by coming here. It was he who had started the bhajan-kirtan here on the occasion of Mahashivratri. In which a large number of people joined. After his death, he has been carrying forward this tradition for the last 20 years. He told that there is no need to call people here, people wait for this great festival throughout the year.
Posted By: Hemant Kumar Upadhyay