Mathura (UP), Sep 10 (PTI) Security has been heightened in Barsana town in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura ahead of the Radha Asthami festival celebrations on Wednesday, officials here said.
“Without compromising on security, every effort would be made to provide easy ‘darshan’ to several lakh pilgrims, who will pay their obeisance to deity in Ladli temple on this occasion. Barsana has been divided into seven zones and 16 sectors with senior level officers as incharge of zones and SDM-level officers as incharge of sectors,” District Magistrate Shailendra Singh said.
Additional District Magistrate Yoganand Pandey has been made the mela officer and SP rural Trigun Bishen has been given charge of security for the fair, DM Singh said.
A total of seven additional SPs, 34 circle officers, 78 inspectors, 290 sub-inspectors, 1,400 constables, 375 home guards, and two companies of PAC have been deployed to ensure security at the fair, Singh said. He added that a few personnel, including women constables in plain clothes, will be stationed inside the temple to prevent chain snatching, pickpocketing and mobile phone thefts.
According to the officials, 52 CCTVs with drone cameras will keep a watch on anti-social elements. To prevent drowning incidents, barbed fencing has been installed around three major ‘kunds’ (ponds) in Barsana. Additionally, 48 parking points have been set up at various entry points leading to Barsana, they said. “The pilgrims will be sent to the temple in small groups,” the officials said, adding that 86 barriers have been set up to control the flow of pilgrims.
The priest of the Ladli temple, Ras Bihari Goswami, said the main function of Radha Astami will start at 4 am on Wednesday in Ladli temple.
In the afternoon, the deity will be carried on an improvised chariot to the Chhatari of the temple. “Rose petals will be showered on the deity from a helicopter on Wednesday afternoon,” the priest said.
Preparations are underway for the grand celebration of Radharani’s birth, following the recent festivities for Lord Krishna.
On September 11, during Brahma Muhurta, a special ‘Mahabhishek’ (ritual bathing) of Radharani will be performed.
In the evening, she will be placed on a gold palanquin for devotees to view from beneath a white canopy, the priest said.
Festivities commenced on Monday with the ‘abhishek’ of Lalita Ji at the Lalita Temple atop a hill in Ucha Gaon. Devotees flocked to the temple as priests performed the ‘abhishek’ with ‘panchamrit’, including ghee, milk, curd, sugar and honey. PTI COR NAV BHJ BHJ
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