Prayagraj: The Sangam city witnessed a massive surge in the number of devotees visiting Lord Shiv temples and the ghats of sacred rivers during the month of Shrawan. The development of basic amenities and the renovation of Shiv temples led to a record-breaking turnout of devotees at the ongoing Shrawan.On the last and fourth Somvar of Shrawan month, a massive wave of faith swept through Prayagraj as Lord Shiv devotees gathered in large numbers. Long queues of devotees were witnessed at the temples, while the ghats were crowded with kanwariyas.Shridharanand Brahmachari Ji, chief priest of the Mankameshwar Mahadev temple— one of Prayagraj’s oldest Shiv temples—said that, on the interval-based counts of devotees entering the main gate, over 2.5 lakh people offered prayers on the last Somvar of Shrawan month alone on Monday. Throughout the month of Shrawan, approximately 15 to 17 lakh devotees visited the Mankameshwar Mahadev temple to perform ‘jalabhishek’ and worship. A similar interval-based counting method was used to estimate devotee numbers across 10 major Lord Shiv temples in the district.Based on data, the number of devotees who performed ‘jalabhishek’ and worshipped Lord Shiv included 4 lakh at Someshwar Mahadev (Arail), 2 lakh at Brahmeshwar Mahadev (on the banks of the Ganga), 1.25 lakh at Koteshwar Mahadev (Shiv Kuti), 3.5 lakh at Hanumant Niketan (Civil Lines), and 11 lakh at Padila Mahadev Temple (Phaphamau). Including other Shiv temples across urban and rural areas, over 37 lakh devotees performed ‘jalabhishek’ throughout the month—marking the highest-ever turnout of Shiv devotees during Shrawan.Additionally, this figure includes between 6 and 7 lakh Dak Bam pilgrims and Kanwariyas who set out for Shiv shrines carrying the sacred waters of the Ganga and the Sangam.Pointedly, both NDRF and jal policemen were on alert on the last and fourth Somvar of Shrawan month as devotees of Lord Shiv continued to take holy dip in sacred rivers and performing ‘jalabhishek’ at Shiv temples.Due to floods, the permanent ghats (riverfront steps) along the Sangam and the Ganga are submerged in water. Consequently, the administration has made special arrangements to ensure the safety of the devotees. While teams from the jal police remained vigilant round-the-clock at Daraganj’s Dashashwamedh ghat and the Sangam ghats, the NDRF team was also on high alert.Brajesh Kumar Tiwari, in -charge of the NDRF team in Prayagraj, said that his 30-members team was prepared to handle any disaster situation.For Maha Kumbh 2025, the state government undertook the renovation and transformation of over 10 ancient Lord Shiv temples in the district, leading to the development of basic amenities at these sites. Aparajita Singh, Regional Tourism Officer ( Prayagraj) said that as many as 10 prominent temples in the district have undergone renovation and beautification, with the government allocating a budget of Rs 34.16 crore for the purpose. The temples transformed during this period include Shri Mankameshwar Mahadev, Brahmeshwar Mahadev, Shool Tankeshwar Mahadev, Koteshwar Mahadev, Shankar Viman Mandapam, Takshakeshwar Mahadev, Gangoli Shivala, Nagvasuki, and Padila Mahadev. In addition to the beautification of these temples, permanent ghats were constructed, encouraging a large number of devotees to visit the shrines.
