New Year 2025: Lakhs of devotees visit Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath temples

The temple towns of Ayodhya and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh witnessed an unprecedented influx of devotees on the first day of New Year 2025 on Wednesday news agency PTI reportedAccording to the local administation the Ram temple in Ayodhya which was consecrated on January 22 last year saw a significant turnout of over two lakh devotees who had set up camps on New Years Eve On Wednesday morning approximately three lakh more people arrived to pay homage to the deity of Ram Lalla The devotees eagerness was palpable as they lined up to catch a glimpse of the idol which was unveiled at sunrise on the first day of the yearIn Varanasi a massive crowd of devotees began flocking to the sacred Baba Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple as early as 3 am on Wednesday PTI reported The rush continued until late evening as part of the New Year celebrations By 4 pm the temple administration reported that around 35 lakh devotees had visited to offer prayers and seek the blessings of Baba Shri Kashi VishwanathRam Temple Trust General Secretary Champat Rai said that the increase in the visitor count was owing to the worldwide celebration of New Year 2025 according to the Gregorian calendar The winter season combined with the holiday break also contributed to the high number of visitors With schools courts and agricultural work closed for the season people often take vacations during this time Rai said He added Increasingly Ayodhya has become a prime destination for pilgrims instead of more traditional tourist spots like Goa Nainital Shimla or MussoorieThe Ayodhya administration took several steps to manage the large crowds dividing the city into multiple sectors and zones for better regulation PTI reported A heavy police presence was deployed and traffic restrictions were imposed with roundtheclock vehicle inspections carried out by local officials The surge in devotees had started a day earlier with more than two lakh pilgrims completing darshan by Tuesday evening Hotels dharamshalas and homestays were fully booked as both local and outstation visitors poured into the town The crowds also gathered steadily at the Hanumangarhi temple where the rush continued from the early morning aarti until the evening shayan aartiTo accommodate the influx the administration had set up 10 additional visitor galleries along the Ram Janmabhoomi path expanding the number of darshan lines from 10 to 20 Special security measures were put in place to ensure the safety of devotees Ayodhya Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Tiwari explained that the city had been divided into seven security sectors and 24 zones with senior officers overseeing each area Drone cameras were employed to monitor crowded locations and traffic movement was strictly controlled to avoid congestion and ensure public safetyIn Varanasi the Chief Executive Officer CEO of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Vishwa Bhushan Mishra said that the number of visitors had been steadily rising since December 28 Anticipating the high influx temple authorities had prepared to manage the situation efficiently The crowd started gathering early in the morning and by 4 pm we had already witnessed 35 lakh devotees The numbers continue to rise and devotees are still queuing to seek darshan Mishra reportedDue to the overwhelming crowd the temple officials imposed certain restrictions On both December 31 and January 1 Babas touch darshan was prohibited and access to the sanctum sanctorum was restricted Vehicles were also banned from entering Maidagin to Godaulia road to ensure smooth movement of pilgrims To maintain public safety and prevent untoward incidents district police were on high alert DCP Kashi Zone Gaurav Bansal stated that extensive security measures had been implemented including five sectors and 45 duty points within the Kashi Vishwanath temple complexSecurity personnel were also stationed at key temples and ghats across the city including the Baba Kaal Bhairav temple and Sankat Mochan temple with 11 and 8 duty points respectively Special forces including the National Disaster Response Force NDRF Water Police and Provincial Armed Constabulary PAC were deployed at various ghats anticipating a large crowd for the New Year celebrations In case of emergencies 12 quick reaction teams QRTs were on standby The security arrangements and crowd control measures reflected the temples commitment to ensuring a safe and peaceful experience for the devotees visiting the Kashi Vishwanath temple on this special occasion Bansal saidWith PTI inputs