Prayagraj: A surge of faith was evident in Sangam city as millions of devotees thronged the temples of Lord Shiv on the occasion of first somvar of ongoing Shrawan month.Thousands of devotees took holy dip in the Sangam before proceeding to worship at Shiv temples. The festive spirit was further heightened by the traditional ‘Gahrebaji’ event, a folk custom observed on Mondays during the month of Shrawan.Apart from Sangam, other Ganga ghats, stretching from the Sangam’s Kila Ghat to the Dashashwamedh Ghat on the river were awash with the saffron hues of kanwariyas. After bathing at the paved ghats and collecting the holy water of the Ganga, devotees also set out on their kanwar yatra.District Magistrate (Prayagraj) Manish Kumar Verma said that the administration was vigilant and fully prepared to ensure the devotees do not face any inconvenience. Special attention was paid to cleanliness and security at the ghats and more than 200 sanitation and security personnel were deployed across the ghats and on boats in the water. Barricading and jetties have been set up at all ghats, with jal police teams remaining active round-the-clock. Medical teams and ambulances are also stationed at the ghats.Since early morning, queues of devotees were formed at prominent temples including Brahmeshwar Mahadev temple at Dashashwamedh Ghat (established at the time of creation), Mankameshwar temple in city, Someshwar Mahadev in Arail, and Gangeshwar Mahadev in Govindpur. The temple premises are under surveillance CCTV cameras. To ensure the safety of kanwariyas and other pilgrims, special traffic arrangements have been implemented in Prayagraj from July 30 to August 28. The left lane of the Prayagraj-Varanasi highway is completely closed to vehicular traffic, with movement restricted to the right lane. The entry of state transport buses and heavy vehicles onto the Shastri Bridge has been prohibited. The entire route is being monitored using drones and CCTV cameras. Various forms of folk traditions come alive during Shrawan. One such folk tradition in Prayagraj is ‘Gahrebaji’. It is organized every Monday evening of Shrawan on the roads of Arail, situated along the banks of the Kalindi (Yamuna) river.Folk literature critic Ravi Nandan Singh says that this tradition is said to date back several centuries, originating during the reign of King Harshavardhana. In the month of Shrawan, priests residing in the city’s ancient neighbourhoods—such as Ahiyapur, Keedganj, and Daraganj—would race their horses while returning from Shiv temples after offering Gangajal. Later, affluent Muslim families with a passion for horses also joined in as enthusiasts. Abhay Awasthi, a long-time connoisseur of the sport, explains that Gahrebaji is not about the horse’s speed, but rather the rhythm of its hooves while moving. The Gahrebaj (handler) elicits three distinct rhythms from the horse’s legs, creating three types of gaits i.e. Sindhi, Chautala, and Dhulki. Among these, the Sindhi gait is considered the finest, and the horse that successfully executes this gait on the road is declared the winner.Umesh Chandra Ganesh Kesarwani, the city Mayor states that Gahrebaji was previously held on the roads between Medical College Crossing and CMP Degree College, causing significant traffic chaos. Respecting folk traditions, the Yogi government arranged for the event to be held in the Arail area along the banks of the Yamuna.
