UP: Devotees throng Lord Shiva temples on first Monday of Sawan

Lucknow (UP): Devotees thronged various temples in the state to pay their obeisance to Lord Shiva on the first Monday of the Hindu month of Sawan.

At the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, people started queueing up outside the temple from early morning and by afternoon, the number of devotees who offered prayers there had crossed three lakh, the temple authorities said.

Piyush Tiwari, PRO of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, said adequate arrangements were made to ensure that the devotees did not face any problem.

Keeping in mind the hot and humid weather, arrangements for drinking water and coolers were made for the visitors, Tiwari added.

LED screens have also been installed at various places so that devotees can witness the worshipping of Baba Vishwanath at the sanctum sanatorium of the temple.

Wheelchairs were provided so that the elderly and 'divyang' or specially-abled devotees could offer prayers to the deity, Tiwari said.

Barabanki's famous Lodheshwar Mahadev Temple, which dates back to the Mahabharat era, too, saw a large number of devotees on Monday.

As the doors of the temple were opened at midnight, people queued up to pay obeisance and offer water to Mahadev and till afternoon, over 1.5 lakh devotees had visited the temple.

However, compared to the past years, the footfall at the temple on 'Sawan Somwar' was lesser this year, the chief priest at Lodheshwar Mahadev Temple said.

He added that elderly devotees could not visit as roads were barricaded at points almost 2.5 km away from the temple and vehicles were not allowed near it.

Meanwhile, Sub-divisional Magistrate Anurag Singh said the administration ensured tight security in and around the temple.

He added that necessary arrangements were made so that the devotees do not face any inconvenience.

In the state capital, devotees in large numbers visited the Mankameshwar Temple and offered prayers to Lord Shiva.