Devotees Showered with Flowers on Final Monday of Sawan at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Varanasi, August 4 (H.S.) – On the fourth and final Monday of the holy month of Sawan, despite heavy rain and flood-like conditions, a massive wave of devotion surged at the court of Kashi Vishwanath, with throngs of Shiva devotees and Kanwariyas arriving for darshan and worship. The temple courtyard resonated with an extraordinary blend of devotion and faith.

At the gold-plated sanctum of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the temple doors opened after Mangala Aarti, and the sight of the Lord brought immense joy to the waiting devotees. Continuing the tradition observed on previous Mondays, officials including Kovilur Swami, the temple’s Chief Executive Officer, Deputy Collector, and Naib Tehsildar showered flower petals on the patiently queued devotees at the Maidagin and Godowlia ends of the Dham, giving them a grand welcome.

Devotees Witness Spiritual Grandeur

Following the flower shower, devotees offered jalabhishek to the sacred Jyotirlinga using a specially placed vessel outside the sanctum. Emotionally moved, they performed darshan and expressed their joy by chanting “Har Har Mahadev” and “Kashi Vishwanath Shambho” as they admired the newly expanded and majestic premises of the temple.

Under tight security, devotees walked on red carpets, entering the temple through steel railings in a zigzag queue system. The Rudraksha adornment of Lord Shiva will take place in the sanctum this evening, just before Bhog Aarti. The entire sanctum is beautifully decorated with fragrant flowers and Ashoka leaves.

Crowds had begun to form on Sunday night, with lakhs of devotees queueing up for darshan. The flow of devotees will continue throughout the day till Shayan Aarti.

To ensure smooth operations, the temple trust has arranged for medical assistance, ambulances, NDRF teams, drinking water, a Lost & Found Centre, and a public address system. LED screens are installed outside the sanctum for devotees to have darshan. Queues were seen stretching from Godowlia to the temple and from the Ganga ghats to the shrine, as chants of devotion filled the air. Barefoot Kanwariyas continued to move steadily towards the temple, carrying their sacred pots on their shoulders.

Civic and Police Arrangements in Full Force

Senior police officers engaged in conversations with devotees to boost their morale, while teams continued to monitor the entire temple and Dham area. To manage the crowd, vehicle movement was prohibited in key zones, including Maidagin to Godowlia, Sonarpura, Gurubagh to Ramapura, Beniabagh crossing, Broadway crossing, and from Bhelupur to Ramapura.

Social Groups Join in Service

Numerous social organisations, including members from civil defence, SP, and BJP, set up camps along the routes to serve the devotees. Along with Kashi Vishwanath, major Shiva temples like Omkareshwar Mahadev, Mahamrityunjay, Shooltankeshwar, Tilbhandeshwar, Gauri Kedareshwar, Trilochan Mahadev, Rameshwar Mahadev, Karmadeshwar, Saranganath, Gautameshwar, and Jageshwar Mahadev also witnessed massive crowds for jalabhishek rituals.

High Alert Along Ganga Ghats

Due to rising water levels in the Ganga, extra precautions are being taken at Dashashwamedh Ghat. Police are deployed at all major ghats, and loudspeakers are used to caution devotees during bathing rituals. Boating has been completely banned, while water police and NDRF’s 11th Battalion are conducting regular patrols.

Uninterrupted Devotion at Markandeya Mahadev Dham

At Markandeya Mahadev Dham in Choubepur, Kaithi, a long line of devotees gathered since Sunday evening for jalabhishek on the final Monday of Sawan. The district administration has put up barricades and stopped all vehicles three kilometres before the temple. Devotees first take a dip at the confluence of Ganga and Gomti, and then proceed for darshan and worship at the temple.