Authorities in Varanasi have temporarily suspended the public Ganga Aarti at the city’s ghats until February 5 due to an overwhelming surge in crowds, PTI reported on Friday.
The decision followed the unprecedented influx of devotees at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj during the Mauni Amavasya, which saw the city overwhelmed by crowds far beyond its capacity. The seamless flow of devotees at intersections and on the city’s outskirts left law enforcement struggling to manage the situation.
With lakhs of pilgrims unable to access the Triveni Ghat for the sacred dip, many redirected their plans to Varanasi, deciding to perform their rituals at the ghats there instead of in Prayagraj. Others chose to head toward Ayodhya, further complicating the situation for authorities tasked with maintaining safety and order.
This shift in plans created a ripple effect, with large groups of pilgrims moving en masse to alternative holy destinations. In Varanasi, the influx of devotees became unmanageable, as the city’s riverbanks lack the expansive capacity of Prayagraj’s sprawling Maha Kumbh area.
Pilgrims, driven by unwavering faith and determination, arrived in Varanasi using any available means of transportation, often carrying their belongings on their heads and shoulders. Unaware of the changing plans, local police were caught off guard and struggled to handle the enormous crowds.
To prevent any mishaps, authorities in Varanasi and Ayodhya resorted to persuasion, asking groups of pilgrims to wait for their turn to bathe after the initial crowd dispersed. This caused significant inconvenience for many devotees, some of whom had gone days without proper meals or rest. Yet, they had no choice but to comply with police instructions.
Those who managed to reach the rivers often spent several hours waiting for their chance to return. The sheer size of the crowd left law enforcement visibly stressed, as the safety of pilgrims became increasingly challenging to ensure.
According to seers in Prayagraj, this is possibly the first time devotees who initially planned to take a holy dip in Prayagraj decided, at the last moment, to travel over 100 kilometers to fulfill their religious aspirations elsewhere.
Back in Prayagraj, many pilgrims who came for Mauni Amavasya were forced to wait in shelters or makeshift arrangements for the crowds to thin out before attempting their sacred dip. What should have been a quick ritual stretched into more than 24 hours for many, as they navigated the chaos.
Some pilgrims, unable to access the ghats, were left sitting in buses or other vehicles, restricted by police from disembarking adding to the prevailing disorder near the Sangam and other riverbanks. Families who had traveled hundreds of kilometers were left cooking meals under the open sky, enduring great discomfort in their pursuit of spiritual fulfillment.
This year’s Mauni Amavasya witnessed an extraordinary test of faith and endurance for pilgrims, as well as the authorities managing the massive crowds. Despite the challenges, devotees remained resolute in their quest for a meaningful dip in the holy waters.