Bhubaneswar, March 2: All roads today led to the Lingaraj temple, the city’s best-known landmark. More than six lakh devotees thronged the shrine in old Bhubaneswar with offerings for Lord Shiva on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.

Carrying puja items in their hands, the devotees were seen waiting in serpentine queues for their turn to worship the lord. Volunteers sprinkled water on the devotees, providing relief from the heat. Security arrangements around the state’s most famous Shiva temple were tight with 20 platoons of police deployed at the spot.

The temple doors opened at 3.30am with the aalti. With a large crowd waiting outside, the priests decided to allow sahan mela or public darshan of the deity from 4am to 11am.

During this period, more than two lakh devotees took turns to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to make offerings to Lord Shiva. Apart from local devotees and those who had come from different parts of the state and the country, some foreigners were also seen standing outside the temple, which does not allow the entry to non-Hindus.

Devotees waited patiently even when the temple doors were closed from 11am to 3pm. When the doors opened, there was an increase in the footfall. “I have come from Calcutta for a darshan of the Lord Shiva at this historic temple. Although I had to wait for a long time to offer prayers, it was worth it,” said Sutapa Jana, who had come to the temple along with her family members.

Officials said till afternoon the rituals went on smoothly as per schedule. “The priests (sevayats) of the temple cooperated with us. So, there was no problem and the rituals were performed without any hitch,” said Abani Pattnaik, chief executive of the temple administration, adding that the timely rituals depend on three groups of sevayats.

This year the raising of the mahadeep (ceremonial lamp) to the temple crown (Dadhinauti) was set for 9.30pm. The devotees, who were on a day-long fast, waited patiently for the mahadeep to be placed atop the temple, after which they could break their fast.

The people, too, praised the efforts of the temple administration in ensuring the timely conduct of rituals. “After I saw that the queue had stretched up to one kilometre, I thought I would not be able to get a darshan of the lord. But due to the arrangements, I could,” said Smita Swain, a resident of Chandrasekharpur.

After the devotees took prasad they continued with their night-long prayers with some chanting slokas in chaste Sanskrit.

Around 20 platoons of police forces were deployed in and around the temple. Vehicular movement was restricted and traffic was diverted from various points to ensure smooth movement of people to the shrine. Fire brigade vehicles and ambulances were kept ready to meet emergencies.