The doors to the sanctum sanctorum golden idol of Goddess Annapurna, located on the first floor of the Annapurna Math Mandir in Varanasi, opened its doors to devotees on Friday, marking the beginning of the annual five-day darshan festival on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras.
At 4:00 am, the temple’s Mahant, Shankar Puri Maharaj, performed a Maha Aarti following the Shodashopachara (sixteen-step) ritual. The temple doors opened for public viewing at 5:00 am.
Temple officials anticipate approximately one million (10 lakh) pilgrims will visit during the festival, which runs from Dhanteras to Annakut. Since early Friday morning, massive crowds have gathered in queues to seek blessings from Goddess Annapurna, Goddess Lakshmi and Bhumi Devi.
Following their darshan, pilgrims receive khazana (symbolic ‘treasure’) and lava (puffed rice) prasad. According to Pundit Mohan Mishra, tradition holds that keeping this khazana at home ensures prosperity and prevents shortages of food or wealth.
To manage the heavy influx of visitors, the temple administration has implemented comprehensive security measures, including extensive barricading to ensure a safe and orderly flow. The atmosphere near the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple complex remains charged with religious fervour as devotees continue to arrive in large numbers to offer prayers for happiness and abundance.