Mathura (UP), Feb 26 (PTI) Temples in the Hindu holy cities of Mathura and Vrindavan were thronged with devotees while chants of ‘Om Namah Shivaay’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’ rented the air on the occasion of Mahashivratri on Wednesday.
Since Tuesday midnight, devotees from urban and rural areas carrying holy water began arriving at Shiva temples to perform the sacred ‘Jalabhishek’, offering water and milk to Lord Shiva.
Several ‘Kanwariyas’ from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur and Deeg districts also passed through Mathura while carrying Gangajal.
The district administration had implemented extensive security and traffic arrangements to ensure a smooth experience for them.
“To maintain security and facilitate traffic flow for Kanwariyas passing through the district, hotspots were identified, and police pickets and mobile units were deployed,” said Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Shailesh Kumar Pandey.
He added that apart from local devotees, Kanwariyas from Bharatpur and Deeg in Rajasthan were travelling with Gangajal from Narora in Bulandshahr and Soron in Kasganj. Special arrangements were made for them, and traffic diversions were implemented where necessary to prevent congestion.
Heavy police deployment was seen around Mathura’s four major Shiva temples –Bhuteshwar Mahadev, Rangeshwar Mahadev, Galteshwar Mahadev, and Gokarneshwar Mahadev — as well as Gopeshwar Mahadev in Vrindavan and Chintaharan Mahadev in Mahavan.
“Since a large number of women, children, and elderly devotees visit these temples, additional security measures were taken to protect them from miscreants and anti-social elements,” Pandey said.
Women police personnel and plainclothes officers were specially deployed to ensure their safety. Senior officials and police teams remained vigilant throughout, ensuring the festival passed peacefully.
To oversee security, Pandey and District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh personally inspected all sensitive areas and directed officials to maintain strict surveillance.
From Tuesday onward, a massive influx of Kanwariyas was seen, carrying Gangajal from various ghats such as Ramghat, Rajghat, Soron, and Kachla to perform jalabhishek at Shiva temples.
Devotees were seen offering holy water at Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple in Vrindavan, chanting prayers to seek blessings. The air was filled with the echoes of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bam Bam Bhole.” PTI COR KIS RHL
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