Devotees throng KV temple
Though the temple administration issued repeated appeals, physical distancing norms were seen to be violated as people waited in long queues outside the temple
VARANASI: Over a lakh devotees offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi on the second Monday of the Hindu holy month of Shravan, the temple authorities said.
Though the Kashi Vishwanath temple administration issued repeated appeals, physical distancing norms were seen to be violated as people waited in long queues outside the temple, a number of them without masks while some others wore them.
As per tradition, devotees collect Gangajal (Ganga water) from the river and walk to the temple to do jalabhishek (offering of water) of the deity in Shravan. Many devotees take a holy dip in the river and collect Gangajal in pitchers and then go to the temple. The ghats are currently flooded as the Ganga water level is rising continuously. According to the Central Water Commission, the Ganga was flowing at 66.52 metres in Varanasi on Monday. The warning level is 70.262 metres.
Chanting “Har Har Mahadev”, the devotees stood in long queues since the early hours of Monday. The Kashi Vishwanath temple administration had ensured barricading to streamline the flow of pilgrims.
A senior official of the temple administration said the devotees wearing masks were given entry into the temple. It was ensured that the devotees maintained physical distancing on the temple premises, the official said.
Chief executive officer, Kashi Vishwanath temple, Sunil Kumar Verma said, “I have already appealed to the devotees coming to the temple to wear masks and maintain physical distancing. It is being ensured that the devotees maintain physical distancing in the temple premises.”
Proper arrangements have been made to ensure it, Verma added. “The crowd was so huge that it was virtually difficult to maintain social distancing as queues stretched for nearly two kilometres,” a devotee admitted.
“By afternoon itself, around 80,000 devotees had offered prayers at the temple,” said Piyush Tiwari, the public relations officer of KV temple. In the entire day, over one lakh devotees offered prayers at KV temple, he said.
Vijay Yadav, a devotee, said, “Baba (Kashi Vishwanath) protects everyone. So, there is no need to worry. Nothing will happen. All is well and will remain well in future too.”
Raju Rai, another devotee, said, “Baba Bholenath takes care of one and all. His devotees are safe. Corona is nothing in front of the power of Baba Bholenath.”
Pandit Prasad Dikshit, a priest who performs puja at various temples, said faith overpowered the Covid-19 fear this Shravan.
“Baba will take care of all,” he said. Varanasi’s chief medical officer Dr VB Singh said, “We have appealed to the people several times to wear masks, follow physical distancing and avoid visiting crowded places. A similar appeal is being made daily and awareness about Covid-19 preventive measures is also being created.”
Assistant commissioner of police (Dashashwamedh) Awadhesh Pandey said, “We appealed to the devotees to follow social distancing and wear masks during their visit to the temples. We appeal them to do the same in the future also.”
On July 26, over 1.5 lakh devotees offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple on the first Monday of Shravan.
Shravan, the fifth month in the Hindu calendar, is considered to be the most auspicious month of the year. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
It is a traditional practice to observe a special fast and visit Shiva temples on ‘sawan ke somwar’ (Mondays falling in the month of Shravan).
This year, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic the annual kanwar yatra, which is usually undertaken in the month of Shravan, has also been cancelled.
Uttar Pradesh’s tally of Covid-19 cases has reached 1,708,476 including 22,763 deaths, 1,685,049 recoveries and 664 active cases, according to official data. On Sunday, the state recorded 36 new cases, of which three were from Varanasi. No deaths due to the viral disease were reported on Sunday across the state and 76 patients recovered from Covid-19.