Varanasi: Ahead of Mahashivratri on Feb 15, Siddhivinayak temple of Mumbai and Lete Hanumanji temple of Prayagraj sent ‘prasad’ and Sangam water to Kashi Vishwanath temple.“Prime temples have initiated a cultural exchange, as part of which Shri Krishna Janambhumi temple, Mathura and Mata Vaishno Devi shrine board have already sent their offerings,” said KV temple CEO Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, adding that, so far, gifts and offerings from 36 temples, including 23 in south Indian states, were received till Thursday, while a series of arrivals by courier continued.On Wednesday evening, Shri Siddhivinayak temple’s (Mumbai) deputy CEO Sandeep Rathore, chairman trustee (protocol) Madhusudan Shukla and priests Prashant Manerikar and Shivam Mishra reached KV Dham and handed over fruits, flowers and other worship materials to Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust in a ceremonial manner.Hailing arrangements at KV Dham, Rathore expressed gratitude and appreciated this gesture of the SKVT trust on the grand festival of Mahashivratri to establish spiritual essence of the sacred father-son relationship between Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesh. Terming the occasion as unforgettable, he said the gesture strengthened religious, cultural and spiritual unity between Kashi and Shri Siddhivinayak Dham. Consecration ritual of Lord Vishwanath was performed with sacred water of Triveni Sangam received from Lete Hanuman temple of Prayagraj. The CEO said ceremonies were being organised to receive the gifts for the presiding deity from those who were reaching to hand over them physically. Gifts and offerings from 36 temples, including Chidambaram, Madurai Meenakshi Amman, Draupadi Amman, Thirukandeshwaram, Sabanayagar, Periya Nayagi Amman, Sangari Kali Amman, Veda Aghorapureshwar and Kumaraguru Parameshwar temples, had arrived.The initiative is strengthening bond among prominent temples. Pilgrims from across the globe reaching KV Dham are enjoying classical music and dance being performed by artists under the four-day event to mark Mahashivratri celebration. Following the inaugural day’s performance of Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt on Mohan Veena, second dy’s attraction on Wednesday was sarod performance by Anshuman Maharaj, Kathak dance by Pt Ravishankar Mishra and devotional songs by Anshika Singh.
