VARANASI Chants of ‘Om Namah Shivay’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’ reverberated throughout Varanasi on Wednesday as numerous devotees, together with Naga sadhus, celebrated Mahashivratri by providing prayers to the deity on the Kashi Vishwanath Temple whereas hundreds thronged the Ganga ghats, taking a holy dip on the auspicious day. Since midnight, serpentine queues stretching over 3 km had been shaped exterior the temple, as doorways remained open for an uninterrupted 46-hour darshan.
A helicopter showers flower petals on devotees on Mahashivratri at Kashi Vishwanath Temple, in Varanasi on Wednesday. (ANI Picture)
The district administration and the temple belief, beneath chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s steerage, carried out strict safety measures as this 12 months’s Mahashivratri in Kashi coincided with the Mahakumbh’s return move, resulting in an unprecedented surge of devotees.
The state authorities elevated the celebrations by organising a grand flower bathe from a helicopter, protecting KV Dham and Ganga Ghats.
Particular preparations had been made for crowd and visitors administration with particular deal with Maidagin-Godaulia stretch and adjoining areas. The KV Temple complicated was beneath surveillance with police, paramilitary forces, ATS commandos, and STF items deployed to keep up order.
To make sure a clean darshan expertise for all devotees, VIP protocols had been suspended, giving equal entry to all. The temple doorways had been opened at 2:15am after the Mangala Aarti, with Baba Vishwanath adorned like a divine groom.
Kashi noticed a grand early morning procession led by ‘Naga sadhus’ and ‘akharas’ to the KV Temple. Mahamandaleshwar of ‘akharas’ had been atop a royal chariot because the procession headed in direction of the temple.
The sadhus waved maces, chanted ‘Har Har Mahadev’, performed ‘Damru’ and blew conch shells to achieve gate no. 4 of the temple, the place temple belief CEO Vishwa Bhushan Mishra and sub divisional Justice of the Peace Shambhu Sharan garlanded the sadhus. The sadhus had been additionally showered with rose petals.
Mishra mentioned all preparations, together with barricading and water amenities, had been in place to make sure devotees’ consolation. The temple noticed an enormous variety of guests, with darshan persevering with via the evening.
The sadhus carried out Jalabhishek (providing Gangajal to Baba Kashi Vishwanath) for the welfare of Sanatan Dharma. A crimson carpet was additionally laid within the dham for the Naga monks. After performing puja, they blessed pilgrims with happiness and prosperity whereas leaving KV temple, mentioned the KV Temple Belief in an announcement.
Since early hours, devotees had obtained in queues to provided prayers to Lord Shiva. By 3pm, over 4.5 lakh devotees provided prayers, acknowledged the KV Temple administration.
Further commissioner of police (legislation and order) S Channappa mentioned, “Tight security arrangements were put in place with special focus on localities around KV Temple. Regular monitoring of crowd was done.”
Divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma, police commissioner Mohit Agarwal, further commissioner of police S Channappa and district Justice of the Peace S Rajalingam had been seen taking inventory of crowd administration since early hours.