Thousands of devotees observed fasts and offered prayers at several Shiva temples all over the state today on the occasion of Mahashivratri. Mahabhishekams were offered to Shivlingas amidst recitation of mantras and devotional songs.Devotees visited various jyotirlingas in the state including the Parli Vaijnath temple in Beed district, Aundha Nagnath in Parbhani district, Ghrishneshvar near Ellora caves in Aurangabad district, Bhimashankar in Pune district and Trimbakeshwar in Nashik district. The day was marked by devotees taking dips in the sacred rivers flowing through the state's temple towns. Cattle exhibitions and traditional wrestling matches were also held. In Mumbai, people thronged various Shiva temples at Bhuleshwar, Babulnath temple at Walkeshwar, Shankar Mutt at Matunga and Sarvodaya Mandal at Ghatkopar.
Special trains for teachers
The Central Railway has given teachers an occasion to rejoice by introducing two `Teachers' Special' trains fromMumbai to Varanasi.
According to a CR spokesperson, this has been done due to increased pressure from the teaching community. The trains will leave for Varanasi from Kurla Terminus at 12.30 am on May 1 and 2, 1998. They will start the return journey on June 10 and 11.
The CR will run 368 special trains to clear the summer vacation rush in the months of April, May and June between Mumbai and Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Howrah, Nagercoil and Guwahati. The reservations for the trains will be available at all computerised reservation centres in the state from the following dates:
