Somnath (Gujarat) | Nearly five lakh devotees are expected to visit Gujarat's Somnath Temple during the Mahashivratri festival this weekend, with officials noting a surge in visitors following last month's 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv'.

Preparations are in full swing at the world-famous Somnath temple for the Mahashivratri festival on February 15.

Keeping in mind the massive crowd expected this year, the temple administration and local authorities are making extensive arrangements for security and facilities, Gir Somnath District Collector N V Upadhyay told reporters on Monday.

The Somnath Swabhiman Parv was organised from January 8 to 11 as a national commemoration marking 1,000 years since the first recorded attack on the Somnath Temple in January 1026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also attended the event.

"The number of devotees has increased significantly since the 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv'. On regular days, around 20,000 devotees used to visit the temple, but the number has now risen to nearly 75,000 per day. On the main day of the upcoming festival of Mahashivratri on February 15, around 5 lakh devotees are expected to visit the pilgrimage site," Upadhyay said.

To manage the crowd and ensure smooth darshan for devotees, the administration has taken several measures. The number of security-check gates has been increased from six to ten. A special one-way entry and exit system has been planned to regulate the movement of devotees, he said.

Medical teams will be deployed round the clock to handle any emergencies. Large-scale community kitchens (bhandara) will be organised in the temple parking area, and additional counters will be set up for distributing prasad, he added.

The Gujarat Tourism Corporation has also organised grand cultural programmes on February 14, 15 and 16. Renowned artists from across the country, including singer Kailash Kher, will perform at a ground near the temple complex, the official said.