Petals showered from chopper on kanwariyas in Ayodhya, Barabanki

During the holy month of Shravan, Shiv devotees reach Ayodhya from adjoining districts of Barabanki, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gorakhpur, Bahraich and Shravasti to collect water from river Saryu at Ram ki Paidi ghat and return to their native places

LUCKNOW The district administration showered rose petals from a helicopter on kanwariyas who gathered at the famous Ram ki Paidi ghat on the banks of Saryu in Ayodhya on the third Monday of Shravan. In a similar gesture, petals were also showered on kanwariyas at the Lodheshwar Mahadev temple in Barabanki district.

Flower petals being showered from a helicopter on kanwariyas in Ayodhya on Monday. (Sourced)

During the holy month, Shiv devotees reach Ayodhya from adjoining districts of Barabanki, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gorakhpur, Bahraich and Shravasti to collect water from river Saryu at Ram ki Paidi ghat and return to their native places. Those who stay back in Ayodhya offer the holy water at Nageshwar Nath temple at Ram Ki Paidi.

Divisional commissioner of Ayodhya Gaurav Dayal and IG (Ayodhya range) Praveen Kumar showered petals on kanwariyas from a helicopter.

The Sawan Mela area had been divided into 25 sectors. One company each of the PAC and the CRPF had been deployed in this region. The Ayodhya administration also issued an appeal to keep temples open till late in the night so that kanwariyas could rest there.

ADG (Lucknow zone) Piyush Mordia, Barabanki district magistrate Avinash Kumar and SP Dinesh Kumar Singh showered flowers from a helicopter on the kanwar yatris at the temple located within the Ramnagar police station limits, an official spokesperson said.

On the instructions of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, flower petals were showered on kanwariyas and devotees who visited the temple on the third Monday of Shravan, said Kumar.

Since the BJP formed the government in UP in March 2017, rose petals were being showered on kanwariyas on every Monday during Shravan. Inputs from PTI