At the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi, preparations are in full swing for a six-day festival beginning on Dhanteras. The shrine has been lavishly adorned with fragrant flowers and lights ahead of Diwali, and the celebrations will culminate in the grand Annakoot offering. The temple administration is hosting rituals and cultural programmes to welcome devotees during this sacred period.
The Kashi Vishwanath Dham has been decorated with several quintals of aromatic, colourful flowers loved by Lord Shiva, and electric lights are being set up across the temple complex.
Temple glows with flowers, lights and devotion
"The Kashi Vishwanath Dham has been decorated with several quintals of aromatic, colourful flowers beloved to Lord Shiva. The temple courtyard will host various rituals and cultural programmes for the next six days, offering devotees an extraordinary spiritual experience," said Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, CEO of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, as reported by PTI.
On the night of Diwali, the premises will be illuminated entirely with earthen diyas, creating a spiritually uplifting spectacle. The day after Diwali, the Annakoot Mahotsav will see a traditional offering of 56 different dishes, including approximately 14 quintals of sweets and savouries, to Lord Vishwanath and Ma Annapurna, according to a report by The Times of India.
Elsewhere in the city, the Varanasi Mayor, Ashok Tiwari, reviewed the readiness across key locations from Assi Ghat to Rajghat for Diwali, Chhath Puja and Dev Deepawali. He emphasised cleanliness, lighting, crowd-management and safety to ensure that visitors and devotees enjoy the festival without difficulty.
Local officials have worked to make the festive experience smooth while preserving the ancient spiritual ambience that Varanasi is known for. The temple’s efforts to combine tradition, devotion and decoration aim to give pilgrims an “extraordinary spiritual experience”.
