Varanasi: Kashi Vishwanath Dham radiated spiritual splendor as multitudes of devotees and kanwariyas flocked to the holy city on the auspicious second ‘Somvar’ of the holy Shrawan month to offer prayers to Lord Shiv, who was resplendently adorned in the divine Gauri-Shankar form. Amid chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, massive crowds of kanwariyas and pilgrims began gathering from Sunday night to seek darshan of Baba Vishwanath. Special security arrangements, including deployment of Varanasi Police and Black Commandos, were in place to manage the huge influx of devotees. The CEO of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Vishwabhushan Mishra, showered flower petals on the devotees patiently awaited their turn to offer prayers. As Monday holds profound significance during Shrawan, the revered deity was worshipped in various divine forms, captivating the hearts of the faithful. Mishra stated that on the first Monday of Shrawan, the movable idol of Baba Vishwanath was adorned, highlighting the significance of Mondays during this month for Shiv devotees.The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple has planned a series of divine adornments for Lord Shiv during the Shrawan month. Lord Shiv will be adorned in the Ardhanarishvara form on the third Monday (July 28) and with Rudraksha on fourth Monday (Aug 4). A special Jhula adornment will take place on this auspicious occasion of Purnima on Aug 9.To ensure seamless security and crowd management, the police made extensive arrangements for the event. As per Commissioner of Police Mohit Agarwal, the measures included deployment of water police and NDRF teams in the Ganga for safety and rescue operations, utilization of eight drones for aerial surveillance, installation of around 2,000 CCTV cameras for real-time monitoring, 10 quick response teams on 24/7 duty, over 20 motorcycle squads patrolling the roads and approximately 1,500 police personnel deployed round the clock to maintain law and order.Traffic management, including diversions and no-entry zones, has been implemented on the routes connecting to Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham from Saturday until Tuesday morning. The left lane of the Prayagraj to Kashi National Highway has been secured for kanwariyas. Adequate police forces have been deployed on the routes and in the temple for the convenience and safety of the devotees. Additionally, temporary police outposts have been established. Shrawan, the fifth month in the Hindu calendar, is considered to be the most auspicious month of the year. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who, according to Hindu religious beliefs, is the creator, preserver, and destroyer of this universe. This year, Shrawan began on July 11 and will conclude on Aug 9. It is the fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar and is considered one of the holiest periods for devotees of Lord Shiv.
