SRINAGAR, Feb. 26 -- Amid rain, a large number of devotees thronged the Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar to pay obeisance on the occasion of Maha Shivratri, being celebrated with religious fervour on Wednesday.
In Kashmir, Shivratri is locally known as Herath, and as part of their unique traditions, Pandits observe nightlong prayers and offer walnuts, which are placed in a watuk (earthen pot) as a sacred ritual.
Despite the inclement weather, tourists and devotees, including men, women, and children, patiently queued up along the stairs of the Shankaracharya Temple, perched on a hill overlooking the picturesque Dal Lake. Braving the rain and dense fog since morning, they eagerly awaited their turn to offer prayer In Kashmir, Shivratri is...