Kashi Vishwanath Dham witnesses record footfall: Over 1.5 million devotees offer prayers on Trayodashi
The holy city of Kashi witnessed an unprecedented surge of pilgrims on Trayodashi, with over 1.5 million devotees offering prayers at the newly expanded Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor.
Varanasi's spiritual landscape continues to reach new milestones as the Kashi Vishwanath Dham recorded one of its highest single-day footfalls this season. Pilgrims from across the country, braving early morning chill, stood in serpentine queues stretching from Godowlia and Maidagin to catch a glimpse of the 'Jyotirlinga'. The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust deployed additional volunteers and automated counters to manage the overwhelming rush smoothly.
Temple Chief Executive Officer stated that elaborate arrangements, including dedicated lanes for senior citizens and differently-abled devotees, ensured seamless 'darshan'. Enhanced security protocols by the UP Police and paramilitary forces remained in place across the heritage pathways, while drone surveillance monitored the crowd movement from Dashashwamedh Ghat up to the temple's riverfront plaza.
Local temple priests and Mahants noted that the infrastructural transformation following the corridor's inauguration has phenomenally eased pilgrim management. Business owners in Godowlia and Thatheri Bazar also reported a massive boom in traditional offerings, brass artefacts, and handloom sales, highlighting the profound economic vitality brought by the steady influx of spiritual tourism in Uttar Pradesh.
