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Dev Deepawali: Kashi ghats come to life as 20 lakh diyas lend a festive glow
KV temple decked up with 50 tonnes of flowers. Grand celebrations were watched by representatives of various countries
Amid vedic chants, more than 20 lakh earthen lamps were lit up on the banks of the Kashi on the occasion of Dev Deepawali on Monday.
Nearly 50 tonnes flowers were used to decorate the famous Kashi Vishvanath temple on Ganga banks.
For this, ₹80 lakh was spent by the government, officials said.
Divisional commissioner, Varanasi, Kaushal Raj Sharma, said the decorator of Visakhapatnam volunteered to decorate the temple. “The entire temple complex was decorated attractively as per the vision of the chief minister,” he said.
A grand 3D ‘Projector Mapping Show’ based on the story of ‘Maa Ganga’ along with a special firecracker and a colorful laser show were among the other highlights of the grand celebrations.
Representatives of one of the countries from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Russia and two members from Kyrgyzstan witnessed the celebrations, that began soon after sunset, officials said.
Volunteers, students and commoners lit up more than 10 lakh earthen earthen lamps around 5pm, lending a festive glow to all the 84 majestic Kashi ghats, covering the entire 8 kilometer stretch of the river Ganges.
This was followed by the Ganga arti. “We organised a special Ganga Aarti session at Dashashmedh Ghat to mark the pious day of Dev Deepawali,” Sushant Mishra, of Ganga Sewa Nidhi said.
He said tributes were also paid to the country’s brave soldiers by creating a replica of ‘Amar Jawan Jyoti’ at the ghats as girls offered prayers to ‘Ganga Maa’ during the ‘Maha Aarti.’
A scintillating laser show, coupled with eco-friendly fireworks, that followed, were another major attraction.
“It was a mesmerising event, we had never witnessed this before,” said Anupama Sandhu, a tourist who came along with her family from Kerala for Dev Deepawali celebrations.
‘Dham of Markandeya Mahadev’ on the banks of Ganga-Gomti, the river bank near ‘Shool Tankeshwar temple’, Shivpur Lake, Moti Jheel, Rameshwar Mahadev Temple in Jansa area, Durgakund Temple, Kardameshwar Mahadev temple pond, Mandakini Kund in Maidagin, Sankuldhara Pokhra Surya Sarovar at Bareka as well as Shastri Ghat too were beautifully decorated and illuminated.
Maha Aartis at the ghats were broadcast live at six locations throughout the city.
“Security arrangements were made at seven levels in Kashi. Care was taken to ensure full proof safety along the ghats, river, roads through a coordinated traffic, system and emergency management plan. For the purpose coordination across departments was ensured. For security purpose, Kashi was divided into 9 zones, 6 sectors and 32 sub-sectors and police personnel were deployed accordingly,” said A Satish Ganesh, police commissioner, Varanasi.
