Thousands of devotees thronged prominent Shiva temples across the country on the final Monday of the holy month of Sawan, offering prayers, performing Jal Abhishek and participating in special rituals.
From Varanasi and Ujjain to Puri, major temples witnessed large gatherings, with authorities making elaborate arrangements to manage the rush of devotees.
In Varanasi, a large number of devotees gathered at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham from the early hours of Monday to offer prayers to Baba Vishwanath. Long queues were seen outside the temple as pilgrims waited to perform rituals, while the temple complex was decorated with rudraksha and flowers.
Varanasi District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar said a massive number of devotees were visiting Shiva temples for Jal Abhishek.
“Despite it being only 5 AM, more than 60,000 devotees had already taken darshan at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple,” he said.
In Ujjain, devotees gathered at the Mahakaleshwar Temple to participate in special rituals. One devotee said the final Monday of Sawan was particularly significant as it provided an opportunity to witness the early morning Bhasma Aarti of Mahakal.
A large gathering was also reported at the Kailash Temple in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, where devotees offered water to Lord Shiva and performed prayers.
In Ahmedabad, devotees assembled at a Shiva temple in Sardarnagar for special prayers, while a Rudrabhishek ceremony was organised as part of the Sawan observances.
Baba Garib Nath Dham in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, also witnessed a major congregation, with devotees arriving to offer water and prayers to Lord Shiva.
In Buxar, District Magistrate Sahila and Superintendent of Police Shubham Arya inspected arrangements along the Kanwariya route from Ramrekha Ghat to Baba Brahmeshwar Nath Temple and also offered prayers at the shrine.
Devotees said people from across Buxar had gathered at the temple, standing in long queues to perform Jal Abhishek and offer prayers.
In Puri, Odisha, thousands of Kanwariya devotees visited the Mahaprabhu Sri Jagannath Temple on the final Monday of Sawan. The Dwara Phita Niti, marking the opening of the temple doors, was performed amid devotional fervour.
The final Monday of Sawan holds special religious significance for devotees of Lord Shiva. Temples across the country witnessed chants, prayers and special rituals as devotees marked the auspicious occasion with faith and devotion.
(With IANS inputs)
