‘Rangbhari Ekadashi’ marks start of Holi celebrations in Kashi
‘Gauna’ of Baba Kashi Vishwanath took place amid chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and hundreds of devotees hurling ‘gulal’ in the air
VARANASI : Amid chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and hundreds of devotees hurling ‘gulal’ in the air, the traditional ‘gauna’ of Baba Kashi Vishwanath took place on the occasion of ‘Rangbhari Ekadashi’ in Varanasi on Wednesday to mark the beginning of Holi celebrations in the temple city. Piyush Tiwari, PRO of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Developmental Board and Temple, said people were urged to follow Covid protocols to keep infection away.
VARANASI : Amid chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and hundreds of devotees hurling ‘gulal’ in the air, the traditional ‘gauna’ of Baba Kashi Vishwanath took place on the occasion of ‘Rangbhari Ekadashi’ in Varanasi on Wednesday to mark the beginning of Holi celebrations in the temple city.
Piyush Tiwari, PRO of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Developmental Board and Temple, said people were urged to follow Covid protocols to keep infection away.
As per tradition, Baba Kashi Vishwanath’s idol was taken to the house of the Mahant in Tedhinam area on Tuesday evening to bring Maa Gaura’s idol to the Lord’s abode (Kashi Vishwanath Temple).
The ‘Gauna’ rituals began at the Mahant’s residence during ‘Brahma Muhurat’ (wee hours) on Wednesday. Eleven Vedic priests offered milk and panchgavya to the idols of Baba and Maa Gaura and performed ‘Rudrabhishek’. Thereafter, royal ‘sringar’ of the idols was done and ‘arti’ was performed. The women of Mahant’s family sang traditional marriage songs and devotees paid obeisance to Baba Vishwanath.
In the noon, Padma Shri Rajeshwar Acharya inaugurated ‘Shivanjali Mahotsav’. Several artists offered musical prayers to Baba Kashi Vishwanath and Maa Gaura. This went on till 4.30pm. Devotees offered gulal, abir and colours to the deities. Thereafter, around 4.45 pm, the idols of Baba Kashi Vishwanath and Maa Gaura were placed inside the palanquin at the Mahant’s residence.
Thereafter, the devotees picked up the palanquin on their shoulders and carried it to Baba Kashi Vishwanath Temple.The idol of Baba Kashi Vishwanath and Maa Gaura were placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, as per tradition and special ‘pooja’ was performed.