Etawah , Devotees thronged the under-construction Kedareswar Mahadev Temple here on Monday, the last Monday of the holy month of Sawan, to offer prayers and jalabhishek.
The construction of the temple, being built on the lines of the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand as a religious landmark, was initiated by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
The temple is coming up around the concept of the "Shiva Rekha", or Shiva axis, described by the temple authorities as a spiritual line extending from Kedarnath to Rameshwaram.
The axis also passes through several prominent Shiva temples, such as Mahakaleshwar and temples in Andhra Pradesh, the Ekambareswarar Temple in Tamil Nadu, and Rameshwaram. .
Temple priest Bhuvaneshwaran told PTI Video that the temple was inspired by Kedarnath to provide devotees with an alternative to the famous shrine.
"The temple construction is inspired by Kedarnath and is a new landmark for this region and for western Uttar Pradesh," he said.
According to Bhuvaneshwaran, around eight lakh people visited the temple on Mondays over the last three weeks.
"The idol of Lord Shiva has been brought from Nepal, from the Kali Gandaki region, and regular puja is performed here," he said.
The temple, he said, is particularly significant for those who are unable to visit Kedarnath due to harsh weather or health.
{{/usCountry}}The temple, he said, is particularly significant for those who are unable to visit Kedarnath due to harsh weather or health.
{{/usCountry}}"Such devotees can come here throughout the year," he said.
The temple follows South Indian traditions and the Shilpa Shastra method, while rituals are conducted according to the Agamas and Shiva Agamas, he said.
Several features of the deity, including the eyebrows, eyes and matted hair, have been carved directly into the stone, according to the priest.
Temple volunteer Aman Yadav said the rush on Sawan Mondays was particularly heavy between 6 am and 2 pm, before easing for a few hours and increasing again between 4 pm and 8 pm.
"Long queues can be seen outside the temple as well," he said.
Temple volunteers worked every Monday to help manage the crowd, he said.
"Every Monday evening, special arrangements and programmes took place for around two to two-and-a-half hours," he said.
Yadav said that most of the main construction work is over, and the temple would be ready in another year.
He said the footfall may go up on Raksha Bandhan.
Separate arrangements and queues have been made for kanwariyas, Yadav said.
Nisha, who came from Agra district, said she was visiting the temple with her sister and brother.
Another devotee, Anushka, said, "I have come here again. It feels very good, and I really enjoy having darshan here. I wish this temple to become big and famous. I found it lovely and beautiful."
Raj Kumari, a frequent visitor, praised the temple's construction.
"The temple is very beautiful. They have done a very good job. It feels wonderful, and we are really enjoying our visit," she said.
She said devotees were arriving from far-off places in large numbers.
"For us, the temple itself is the main attraction. Lord Shiva is present everywhere," she said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.