Varanasi witnessed an unprecedented spiritual surge as the New Year dawned, with an estimated five lakh pilgrims from across India and the world converging at the sacred Kashi Vishwanath Dham on Thursday. This marks the fifth consecutive year of massive turnout since the revamped temple corridor was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 13, 2021.
A Spiritual Spectacle Amidst the Chill
Defying the severe winter cold, devotees began occupying barricaded areas leading to the temple's entry points from Godowlia, Maidagin, and Dashaswamedh via Ganga Dwar as early as Wednesday night. The day turned bright and sunny after a foggy morning, providing some relief to the throngs. The massive congregation, which also included New Year revellers, is expected to continue through the weekend until Sunday.
Celebrations kicked off on Wednesday evening with musical events at hotels, restaurants, and clubs. At the stroke of midnight, the sky lit up with fireworks. A heavy police presence was maintained at major crossings to prevent any untoward incidents. The ghats from Namo to Nagwa along the Ganga were vibrant with celebrations, while groups of youths enjoyed camel and horse rides on the sand beds. The river itself was dotted with boats full of pilgrims and revellers.
Administration's Multi-Pronged Management Strategy
The district administration and police were on high alert to manage the colossal influx. Divisional Commissioner S Rajalingam noted that the pilgrim count had been steady between 3 to 4 lakhs since December 25, with Thursday's trend indicating a jump to five lakh or beyond. Commissioner of Police Mohit Agrawal has been on the ground since December 25, personally overseeing arrangements.
All VIP protocols were suspended to ensure smooth passage for common devotees standing in long queues, announced Kashi Vishwanath Temple's CEO, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra. These crowd management measures will remain in place until January 3. Authorities employed a three-tier monitoring system: manual surveillance, a vast CCTV network, and drone footage to regulate traffic and crowds, especially on roads leading to the temple, the ghats during evening Ganga Aarti, and major highways.
Learning from the Past, Planning for the Future
Officials, taking lessons from the massive gathering on New Year's Day 2022, began advance planning for crowd regulation on the scale of Maha Shivratri and the Shrawan month starting in 2023. However, this year saw a further spike in numbers, with the surge beginning right after Christmas. The trend highlights the enduring spiritual draw of Varanasi and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham as a premier pilgrimage destination, capable of drawing lakhs even in extreme weather conditions.
Similar crowd management efforts were replicated in Mirzapur for the Vindhyachal temple. While locals visited other prominent temples like Sankat Mochan and the BHU campus Vishwanath temple, the heart of the action remained the roads leading to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath, showcasing a remarkable blend of devotion and festive New Year energy.
