Udaipur, Feb 15 (AHN) On the occasion of Mahashivratri on Sunday, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta offered prayers at Amarkh Mahadev Temple in Rajasthan's Udaipur, calling the festival an opportunity for "awakening of Shiva-consciousness within the soul".

Taking to X, CM Gupta said: "On the sacred occasion of Mahashivratri, I was blessed to perform the worship and rituals of Devadhidev Mahadev at the ancient Shri Amarkh Mahadev Temple located in Amberi, Udaipur. This sacred site has been a living centre of austerity, detachment, and Shiva consciousness for centuries."

"This holy festival of Mahashivratri is an opportunity for the awakening of Shiva-consciousness within the soul. Shiva is the void, Shiva is the infinite, and Shiva is the very foundation from which the flow of creation, balance, and transformation begins," she added.

The Chief Minister was joined by the Delhi Cabinet Ministers Ashish Sood and Ravindra Indraj, as well as MLA Anil Sharma, along with other BJP leaders from Rajasthan.

"I pray to Devadhidev Mahadev that His blessings continue to remain upon Delhi and all the people of the country, and that He grants us all the strength to remain steadfast on the path of service and the welfare of humanity," CM Gupta said, adding, "Heartfelt Mahashivratri greetings to all of you. Har Har Mahadev."

Mahashivratri, regarded as one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar, is observed in reverence to Lord Shiva and commemorates the sacred union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

The festival is being celebrated across the country with deep devotion and spiritual enthusiasm, as lakhs of devotees began arriving at prominent Shiva temples from the early hours of Sunday.

Long queues of worshippers, special rituals, night-long prayers and holy dips in sacred rivers marked the occasion, while authorities made elaborate security and administrative arrangements to facilitate smooth darshan and effective crowd management at major pilgrimage centres.