Varanasi, March 4 (IANS) The Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi will remain open for 36 hours after the ‘Mangal aarti’ on Maha Shivratri on March 8. With over 10 lakh devotees expected to visit, the decision to keep the sanctum sanctorum open for ‘darshan’ has been made, along with crowd regulation measures.
The temple’s chief executive officer, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, stated, “Devotees will enter temple premises in four queues and get Jharokha Darshan till 11 a.m on March 9. No Sparsh-Darshan arrangements will be available in this period.” Additionally, no ticketed or VIP darshan facility will be allowed, ensuring smooth movement of queues without disruptions.
Since the renovation of Kashi Vishwanath Dham and its opening by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021, the temple has seen a surge in devotees on special days. In 2023, around 6.88 lakh devotees visited on Maha Shivaratri, and over seven lakhs entered on Mondays in the Shravan month in 2022 and 2023. The officials anticipate a further increase in footfall for the upcoming Maha Shivaratri festival.
