Varanasi, March 08 (HS). On Friday, on Mahashivratri, Shri Kashi Vishwanath and Mata Gaura were royally decorated as bride and groom. The silver statue of Baba Vishwanath, the groom, was placed on the throne. Whereas, Mata Gaura was dressed in a special red lehenga brought from Madurai.
A folk tradition that has been going on for more than three hundred and fifty years was followed at the residence of Dr. Vice Chancellor Tiwari, the former Mahant of Baba Vishwanath Darbar, at Tedhineem. Mahant's son Pandit Vachaspati Tiwari performed the tradition of Matrika puja in the afternoon. During this period, traditional wedding songs kept echoing in the house. After this, about four hundred years old crystal Shivalinga was filled with flour and placed in a brass plate.
After this, the Vedic Brahmins, through chanting of mantras, invited all the gods and goddesses to attend the marriage of Shiva. Evening Aarti of the idols of Baba and Gaura. Earlier in the morning, during Brahmamuhurta, Pandit Vachaspati Tiwari performed Rudrabhishek for his wife. Fruits were offered in the afternoon.
After Bhog Aarti, Sanjeevratna Mishra did royal decoration of the movable idol of Baba and Mata. In the evening, the devotee women made the atmosphere devotional by singing auspicious songs. At night, the rituals of special aarti of all four prahars were completed in the temple. Dr. Tiwari told that on March 20, the ritual of Mata's Gauna will be performed on Rangbhari (Amala) Ekadashi.