Dons devotional best, ‘Shiv baraat’ steals the show

Varanasi: Kashi came alive on Mahashivratri, with devotees thronging Shiv temples across the city. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple saw 5.46 lakh t devotees offering prayers till 7pm, while the Panchkroshi Parikrama route was packed with pilgrims completing the sacred ritual. The evening festivities got a boost from the vibrant ‘Shiv baraat'.
The festivities for Lord Vishwanath's marriage day kicked off on Saturday evening, with devotees, especially youngsters, flocking to Manikarnika Ghat to start the Panchkroshi Yatra. Thousands lined up outside the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, filling the barricaded areas. The shrine area was transformed with stunning floral decor and vibrant lighting, making it a sight to behold.As soon as the sanctum sanctorum doors opened, the ‘mangla aarti' was followed by ‘jharokha darshan', allowing devotees to catch a glimpse of the deity from outside. The darshan continued non-stop.The temple's CEO, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, said that even during ‘char prahar ki aarti' and Monday's ‘bhog aarti', the darshan will continue. The temple kept all its services, including medical camps, a counter to trace missing persons, drinking water, and food items, including for fasting people. Commissioner of Police Mohit Agrawal and senior officials kept a close eye on traffic, crowd control, and security measures at the KV Temple and Ganga ghats, monitoring via CCTV and drone cameras.Devotees thronged not just the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, but also other Shiv temples across the city, including Markandeya Mahadeo Temple at the Ganga-Gomati confluence, Kedareshwar, Onkaleshwars, and the Vishwanath Temple at BHU campus. The city's Shiv temples were decked up and echoed with devotional chants, but the real show began in the afternoon. ‘Shiv baraats' from across the city converged into the main procession, which started from Daranagar in the evening. The Barat, led by top-notch band parties, Shehnai and Nagada players, and tableau artistes dressed as deities and mythological characters, waded through Maidagin, Chowk, and Godowlia, culminating at Dashaswamedh.Preparations for the traditional bhang-infused thandai were underway, drawing crowds to popular spots, and thandai shops did roaring business.