Muzaffarpur: Makar Sankranti celebrations have begun across the country, and in Muzaffarpur, the festive spirit was clearly visible at the famous Baba Garibnath temple. On Wednesday night, a special religious ceremony was organised ahead of the festival, where Lord Shiva was grandly decorated with 101kg of puffed rice and tilkut, the traditional sesame sweet linked with Makar Sankranti. The event was organised by Sanatan Sevaarth Bihar and attracted a large number of devotees, who gathered at the temple to witness the rare and meaningful sight.
The ceremony was performed according to traditional religious practices by priests Ashutosh Pathak, also known as Dabar Baba, and Pandit Abhishek Pathak. The rituals began with the Shodashopachara Puja, a sixteen-step worship offered to Lord Shiva. After the puja, the idol of Baba Garibnath was carefully adorned with puffed rice and tilkut. A formal aarti followed, during which the temple premises echoed with chants of “Har Har Mahadev”, creating a deeply spiritual atmosphere.
Prabhat Malakar, convener of Sanatan Sevaarth Bihar, said that this decoration is carried out every year on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. He explained that puffed rice, sesame seeds and tilkut are symbols of happiness, prosperity and sweetness in life. By offering these items to Baba Garibnath, devotees pray for peace, good health and prosperity for the people of Bihar. He added that this tradition has been followed for many years and has become an important part of the temple’s Sankranti celebrations.
Priest Ashutosh Pathak said that according to Sanatan tradition, offerings are first made to the deity before celebrating any festival. In keeping with this belief, puffed rice and tilkut were offered to Baba Garibnath so that devotees could welcome Makar Sankranti with devotion and positivity. Several saints and community members, including Amarnath, Niranjan Jha, Anshu Kumar Mishra, Manish Soni, Pawan Mahto, Rakesh Tiwari, Raman Mishra and Ratan Chaudhary, were present at the event. The ceremony reflected a beautiful blend of faith, tradition and celebration, marking the beginning of Makar Sankranti in a simple yet meaningful way.
