UP: Devotion defies harsh winter
Lucknow: The severe cold wave sweeping across Uttar Pradesh has failed to deter devotees, with major temples witnessing an unprecedented rush as the year draws to a close. From Varanasi to Vrindavan and Ayodhya, thousands of pilgrims are braving the biting cold to offer prayers and seek divine blessings before welcoming the New Year, prompting authorities to enforce special crowd control and security measures.
Across the state, prominent religious centres including Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Ram Janmabhoomi and the temples of Mathura and Vrindavan are witnessing a continuous inflow of devotees. In response, the administration has strengthened arrangements for crowd regulation, traffic control and public safety to prevent any untoward incidents.
The cold weather has not slowed the movement of pilgrims in the Braj region, where Agra and Mathura recorded a sharp rise in footfall. In Vrindavan alone, nearly one lakh devotees visited temples on Sunday. Considering the intense crowd pressure, temple authorities have advised pilgrims to avoid visiting Vrindavan between December 29 and January 5. Devotees have also been urged not to bring elderly persons, children, the sick, persons with disabilities and pregnant women during peak days.
Temple managements have appealed to visitors to refrain from wearing valuables and carrying bags, citing congestion inside temple premises. Pilgrims have been advised to plan their visits after assessing crowd conditions. To ease traffic and ensure smoother movement, the entry of outside vehicles into Vrindavan has been restricted until January 2, while a similar restriction will remain in force in Barsana till January 5.
In Varanasi, the overwhelming rush at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham has led the temple administration to suspend sparsh darshan until January 3. Devotees are being allowed only jhanki darshan during this period. Authorities have implemented crowd management arrangements similar to those used during the Mahakumbh and the holy month of Sawan.
Chief Executive Officer of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Vishnu Bhushan Mishra, said the situation would be reviewed after January 3, following which a decision on resuming sparsh darshan would be taken. Sub Divisional Magistrate of the temple area, Shambhu Sharan, has appealed to devotees to avoid temple visits with elderly family members, children and those suffering from illness due to the combined impact of severe cold and crowding.
The district administration has also restricted the entry of four-wheeler vehicles with registration numbers from outside districts beyond Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, except for ambulances, emergency vehicles and two-wheelers. At Vindhyavasini Dham, devotees will not be permitted to touch the feet of the deity during the New Year period.
Tourist numbers have also surged in Agra, with the Taj Mahal witnessing heavy footfall. On Sunday, 46,748 tourists visited the monument after purchasing tickets. Including children below 15 years who are granted free entry, the total number of visitors during the day is estimated at around 70,000.
