Herath celebrated in Valley

Srinagar:  Maha Shivratri, known as ‘Herath’ in Kashmir was celebrated with religious fervor on Wednesday.Despite rainfall, the Hindus including Kashmiri Pandits thronged Hunuman temple on the banks of river Jhelum in Amirakadal here and offered prayers.Reports said that the largest congregation in connection with the festival was witnessed at Shiv temple, Shankaracharya hill in the city.“This is a festival in honor of Lord Shiva as on this day, Shiva got married to Parvati,” Salik Ram, a devotee told . Devotees were seen outside temples with religious offerings to worship Lord Shiva.Reports from Jammu said that all the Shiva temples in Jammu were decorated and people were seen standing in long queues in front of all the temples, , particularly at Aap Shamboo Mandir, Roop Nagar and Ranbireshwa temple, Panjbakhtar Mandir, Peer Kho and other ancient temples since early this morning. They were waiting for their turn to have darshan of “Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati.”