Bhubaneswar, Feb. 14 -- The air in Bhubaneswar is reverberating with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Shiv Shiv' as temples are adorned with flowers and illuminated with rows of flickering diyas for Maha Shivratri. Today, devotees are preparing to observe 'Jagara', the sacred night-long vigil dedicated to Lord Shiva.

On this auspicious day, lighting diyas holds a deep spiritual significance, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness and devotion over ignorance. Many devotees fast, offer prayers and remain awake through the night in reverence.

However, the festive spirit has been tempered by a recent fire incident in Satya Vihar, Bhubaneswar, where a woman suffered nearly 50 per cent burns after her saree caught fire from a lamp sta...