Kashi Vishwanath Dham Witnessed Helicopter Showering Flowers, Delighting Shiva Devotees
On the first Monday of the holy month of Shravan, an extraordinary event took place at the magnificent Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. For the very first time, flowers were showered from a helicopter as a gesture of reverence towards Lord Shiva and to bless his devoted followers. The Yogi government organized this unique spectacle, laying a red carpet of flowers upon the Shiva devotees. The helicopter also showered flowers on the Markandeya Mahadev temple and the Prayagraj-Varanasi-Kavandia Marg, spreading divine blessings across the sacred land.
Devotees had eagerly gathered since Sunday night, patiently waiting for the auspicious opportunity to have darshan (sacred sight) of Lord Shiva. People from far and wide had journeyed to Kashi, also known as Varanasi, to bow their heads in the presence of Rajarajeshwar Kashi Puradhipati Lord Vishweshwar. By 6 pm, over 400,000 devotees had already gathered at the holy abode of Lord Shiva. In anticipation of this overwhelming influx of faithful devotees, the Yogi government had meticulously organized concrete arrangements to ensure the comfort, facilities, and security of the visitors at Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
The city of Shiva, Varanasi, was immersed in the saffron hue of Kashi Kanwariyas (devotees of Lord Shiva). The unbroken queues of devotees since late Sunday night testified to the deep faith and devotion of the pilgrims. As the doors of Baba Vishwanath's temple opened for the common devotees after the Mangala Aarti (morning prayers), the devotees eagerly made their way towards the threshold of Lord Shiva. With utmost devotion, they offered Ksheer-Neer (a mixture of milk and water) as a sacred offering in the presence of Baba.
Around noon, as per the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, flowers were showered from a helicopter onto the sacred Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Markandeya Mahadev temple, and the Prayagraj-Varanasi Kanwadiya road. This spectacular event filled the devotees' hearts with joy and the air resonated with chants of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Bol Bam." In the morning, as per tradition, the Yadav brothers filled a silver urn with water and performed Jalabhishek (sacred bath) of Baba, offering prayers for the well-being of the world. The administration ensured proper arrangements were in place to facilitate their ritual without any inconvenience.
Sunil Verma, the Chief Executive Officer of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Temple, reported that last year in 2022, a record-breaking 576,573 visitors had come on the first Monday of Shravan. This year, by 6 pm, 419,169 devotees had already visited the temple, with an estimated total of around 600,000 devotees expected on this auspicious day. The number of devotees was monitored through head scan machines installed at all four gates of the temple.
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The final figures will be released by the temple administration late at night, but it is clear that this year's first Monday of Shravan witnessed a remarkable gathering of devotees, strengthening the bond of faith and devotion towards Lord Shiva in the sacred city of Varanasi.
