Ayodhya, Varanasi on high alert after Mahakumbh stampede, cities see heavy influx of devotees

Experts estimate that over 50 lakh devotees have arrived in Ayodhya in the past 72 hours, with the influx expected to continue until Vasant Panchami, according to an official statement.
Devotees gather on Mauni Amavasya, at the Ganga Ghat in Varanasi, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.
Devotees gather on Mauni Amavasya, at the Ganga Ghat in Varanasi, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.Photo | PTI
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LUCKNOW: Following the tragic stampede in Mahakumbh, Varanasi and Ayodhya administrations stepped up measures for crowd and traffic regulations since the both the holy cities are witnessing heavy rush of devotees for darshan at Kashi Vishwanath and Ram Temple respectively for the last couple of days.

A massive crowd of devotees arrived in Ayodhya on Wednesday to take a dip in the Saryu river on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. Similarly, the ghats of Varanasi witnessed a huge turnout of devotees in lakhs taking holy dip in Ganga with a large number of them also performed the rituals of ‘pinda daan’ of their ancestors on Wednesday.

In fact, both Ayodhya and Varanasi have been witnessing an influx of over 25 lakh devotees daily for the last couple of days forcing the temple trust members in Ayodhya to issue appeal to people from nearby stations to defer their trip to temple town by 15 days.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, Ayodhya witnessed an overwhelming surge of devotees who took a holy dip in the Saryu River.

Experts estimated that over 50 lakh devotees arrived in Ayodhya in the past 72 hours and the influx is expected to continue until Vasant Panchami, an official statement issued here said.

The temple town remained packed with worshippers throughout the day, with long queues outside Ram Mandir and Hanumangarhi temple extending late into the night. A massive crowd stretched from Shringar Haat to the temple premises. Similar scenes were observed at the Ram Temple, where devotees queued up in large numbers for darshan.

Entry of all types of vehicles into the fair area has been completely restricted in Ayodhya with heavy police deployment at key locations to maintain order. The health department is also on high alert, with all doctors' leaves cancelled until Vasant Panchami. Emergency services will remain operational 24x7 to handle any medical needs, the statement said.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Pushpendra Kumar confirmed that 13 temporary health camps will continue to function until February 26 to provide immediate medical assistance to pilgrims. IG Praveen Kumar stated that traffic has been rerouted to manage the massive footfall.

Large vehicles have been stopped on the highways, and alternative routes have been designated to prevent congestion in and around Ayodhya.

Authorities have also increased accommodation capacity in Ayodhya. Municipal Commissioner Santosh Sharma said that arrangements were made to house around 30,000 devotees in shelter areas to ensure their comfort.

In light of the ongoing preparations, ADG Zone Lucknow, SB Shirodkar, visited Ayodhya on Wednesday to assess security and management efforts, including arrangements at Ayodhya Dham Railway Station. Divisional Commissioner Gaurav Dayal and IG Praveen Kumar reviewed major locations from the control room.

Similarly, in Varanasi, traffic diversions and restrictions were put in place as a large number of pilgrims resumed their journey to the Sangam city after offering prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple while lakhs of devotees thronging Ganga ghats for Mauni Amavasya snan.

Due to massive crowding at the main bathing ghats—Dashashwmedh Ghat, Panchaganga Ghat, Kedar Ghat, Assi Ghat, and Bhaisasur Ghat, the officials diverted the pilgrims to other ghats. Apart from police and NDRF, PAC’s flood relief teams also remained deployed at the ghats and river stream. Ganga stream remained dotted with boats filled with pilgrims who halted in the city before heading to Prayagraj or returning from there.

A similar scene was evident at the confluence of the Ganga and Gomti at Markandeya Mahadev, as thousands of devotees also gathered there for bathing in the Ganga and performing religious rituals.

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