MANSEHRA: The three-day Shivratri festival came to an end at the historic Shiv temple in Chitti Gatti area here on Sunday.

Over 1,000 men and women from Hindu community from across the country showed up amid tight security.

The women devotees sprinkled milk at the Shivalinga, seeking offspring for them and their family members.

“We provided the Hindu community members with the foolproof security and all necessities at the temple,” Rabia Abbasi, assistant commissioner Baffa-Pakhal tehsil, told reporters following a visit to the temple on the last day of the festivities.

She said that the temple, which was abandoned by Hindus during partition in 1947, was one of the holiest Hindu religious sites in the country in general and the Hazara division in particular.

Ms Abbasi said that an ambulance and fire tenders remained on standby during the three-day festivities to meet with an eventuality.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2020