Varanasi: The number of devotees gathered at the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi crossed the 6 lakh count on the first day of 2023, thereby setting a new record. People started crowding the pilgrimage site on December 31, even as the number saw a spike on January 1. The number is further expected to go up as people continue to land in Kashi.
Last year too, the number had crossed the seven lakh mark in 3 days. This time, the 6 lakh devotees reached Baba Vishwanath Dham within just 2 days, breaking past records. Chief Executive Officer of the temple Dr. Sunil Kumar Verma expressed joy over the tremendous number of people coming down to Kashi.
On the first day of the New Year, 'Ganga aarti' was performed at Varanasi's Assi Ghat in the early hours on Sunday. People gathered at the ghat to watch the Ganga aarti. In Ujjain, devotees gathered at Mahakaleshwar Temple to get a glimpse of morning aarti on Sunday.
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'Bhasma aarti' of Lord Shiva was performed in the early morning hours at the Mahakaleshwar Temple. Mahakaleshwar's Bhasma Aarti is believed as the most special, as it is the only 'Jyotirling' amongst the 12 where the Bhasma is applied on the 'Shivling'.
Hence, it is one of the reasons why people from all across the world come to attend it, according to the Mahakaleshwar priest. Meanwhile, morning prayers were also performed at Mumbai's iconic Siddhivinayak Temple. Devotees thronged Siddhivinayak Temple to watch the morning aarti on Sunday, the first day of the new year.
