Mathura (UP), Sep 2 (PTI) The annual Mangala Aarti at the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, which is performed shortly after midnight on Janmashtami, will be live-streamed for the first time this year, with all arrangements for the broadcast completed, officials said on Wednesday.
The Mangala Aarti at the temple is normally performed after daybreak.
However, this Janmashtami (September 4), the temple doors will open for devotees at 1:45 am on September 5 after the midnight Mahabhishek marking the birth of Lord Krishna, and the Mangala Aarti will begin at 1:55 am.
Ashok Kumar, a retired high court judge and chairman of the committee constituted on the Supreme Court’s directions to manage the temple’s affairs, said the Mangala Aarti holds special significance as it is performed only once a year.
“Devotees from across the country and abroad start gathering outside the temple in large numbers from the night before,” Kumar said.
To ensure crowd management, only 600 devotees with special passes will be allowed inside the temple for the Mangala Aarti, he said.
Even the ‘Goswamis’ (hereditary priests) will be permitted entry only after they produce the required pass, Kumar said.
“To facilitate darshan for the other devotees, the temple management has arranged live-streaming of the Mangala Aarti. Devotees from anywhere in the world will be able to have online darshan,” Kumar said.
Preparations for Janmashtami celebrations are being given final touches at the other prominent temples in Vrindavan as well, including the ISKCON temple, Chandrodaya Mandir, Rangji temple and Prem Mandir. PTI COR ABN ARI
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