Kashi Vishwanath Temple has made some changes to the morning ‘mangla aarti’ timing on Feb 15. The ‘mangla aarti’ will take place between 2:15 am and 3:15 am, and the doors of the sanctum sanctorum will open from 3:30 am, as stated by Mishra. Entry of devotees in Kashi Vishwanath Dham for Jharokha Darshan will continue until 11 pm on Feb 16. According to the temple’s tradition, in place of regular aartis, including ‘sandhya’, ‘shaptarshi’, ‘shayan’, and ‘mangla aartis’, the ‘char-prahar’ (aartis) will be performed. With ‘bhog aarti’ on Feb 16, regular aartis will return to the normal schedule. During all the rituals, devotees will continue to offer prayers through ‘jharokha darshan’. The sanctum sanctorum’s doors will be closed after ‘shayan aarti’ on Feb 16 from 10.30 pm to 11 pm. The temple is keeping things simple this Mahashivratri – all VIP protocols are suspended to ensure devotees have a smooth experience. The temple’s CEO has also issued an advisory, asking devotees to come prepared and not on an empty stomach. “Devotees are urged to fuel up before heading out, as queues can get ridiculously long — 8-10 hours to get in. With massive crowds expected, we’re advising everyone to eat and hydrate beforehand to avoid fainting or other issues,” he said. The temple will arrange water, jaggery, glucose, ORS, and medical aid. Lost and found centres and other services will also be operational.The temple is also asking devotees to travel light — no bags, mobiles, leather belts, footwear, or electronics as baggage counters will be overwhelmed.
