Prayagraj/Mirzapur/Varanasi/Ayodhya,

01 Jan (HS): Thousands of devotees took a holy bath at Sangam in Prayagraj on

New Year's Day, despite the cold and dense fog. Almost all major holy sites in

Uttar Pradesh had a large influx of pilgrims despite strict security and

special measures. On the first day of the year, devotees gathered at Triveni

Sangam early in the morning to worship and take the traditional bath. The

entire meantime, loudspeakers broadcast instructions to guide pilgrims and assure

their safety at the ghats. Brijesh Kesarwani, who visited the ghat with his

wife and kid, said they prayed for a prosperous year and the well-being of

their family. Rakhi Kesarwani, his wife, stated that she prayed for happiness

and peace in her family on the first day of the year. Another devotee, Kuldeep

Yadav, stood at the ghat, ready for the dip, saying he had come to ask the

Ganga's blessings for a peaceful year.

In

Mirzapur, the district administration made special provisions at the

Vindhyachal Dham to accommodate the expected inflow of 1.5 to 2 lakh devotees

over the New Year due to crowd movement. Heaters were switched on within the

temple, and bonfires were lighted along important roadways to provide relief

from the cold for worshipers. Night shelters were established for people who

had traveled a long distance. Security was reinforced around the temple

complex, Ganga ghats, and major roadways. District Magistrate Pawan Kumar

Gangwar stated that considerable efforts had been taken to guarantee that

pilgrims enjoyed a swift and hassle-free darshan.

Queues

are maintained carefully to keep the population under control and devotees from

being inconvenienced, he added. Meanwhile, Varanasi Junction prepares for a

rush of passengers ahead of the Magh Mela, which begins on Saturday and will

last 44 days till February 15. Station Manager Arpit Gupta stated that a

holding room had been established at the station in anticipation of the

expected influx. Additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government

Railway Police (GRP) officers are being sought, as well as improved public

announcement systems and 24-hour medical services. Railway authorities claimed

surveillance and fast response systems had been reinforced, with 120 CCTV

cameras watching the station 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During the Magh

Mela, Indian Railways will run five special trains departing from Varanasi

Junction.

The

harsh cold had an impact on daily life in Prayagraj, with people warming

themselves around bonfires along the roadsides. Shiv Chauhan, who was waiting

for transportation out of the city, stated that he was warming himself with the

fire so that he could continue on his journey. Shivkumar Kushwaha, an

auto-rickshaw driver, noted that low sight and mist on windshields made driving

difficult. Beginning early in the morning, worshipers flocked to the Ram Temple

and the Saryu ghats in Ayodhya. Nandini Joshi, a devotee, reported that despite

the large throng, arrangements at the temple went smoothly. She thought the

temple to be lovely. Another devotee, Saroj Patel of Mumbai, stated that she

felt a spiritual surge following the darshan. Ashok, a Bengaluru pilgrim, said

the cold was considerably harder than in his home city, but the darshan

experience was rewarding.

Families

crowded the Banke Bihari and Radha Rani temples in Mathura and Vrindavan,

according to reports of heavy pilgrimage. Earlier, Director General of Police

Rajeev Krishna stated that special provisions had been planned across the state

for December 31 and January 1 to accommodate the expected spike at temples,

marketplaces, malls, and picnic areas.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi