Barabanki/Ayodhya/Basti/Sambhal (UP), Jul 22 (PTI) Kanwariyas, or Shiva devotees, on Tuesday were showered with flower petals in various districts, including Sambhal, which witnessed violence last year over a dispute related to Shahi Jama Masjid.
As the yatra entered its 11th day, the district administration of Barabanki, Sambhal, Ayodhya and Basti districts greeted the devotees with petals as they arrived at various temples in these districts to perform rituals.
Communal harmony was on full display in Sambhal district as Muslims, along with authorities, showered rose flowers on kanwariyas.
Sambhal witnessed violence in November 2024 after locals clashed with government officials over a court-ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid, located in Kot Garvi area of the city. The violence resulted in the death of four people.
In Barabanki, District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi and Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya supervised the aerial shower on devotees, who gathered at the ancient Mahadeva Shiva temple in Ramnagar tehsil.
Virendra Kumar Awasthi, chief priest of the Mahadeva temple, lauded the initiative, calling it a heartfelt tribute to the unwavering faith of the devotees.
Tight security arrangements were made for the event to ensure the safety of the crowd on Tuesday, officials said.
The Mahadeva temple becomes a major pilgrim site during Shravan, drawing devotees from across the region.
In Ayodhya, marigold and rose petals were showered on the Shiva devotees walking barefoot in large numbers.
District Magistrate Nikhil Tikaram Funde and Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Grover rained flowers from a helicopter on the kanwariyas visiting Hanumangarhi Temple, Nageshwarnath Temple, Darshan Marg, Saryu Ghat, Lata Mangeshkar Chowk and the Ram Temple.
Seventy kilometres east of Ayodhya, similar scenes were witnessed in Basti district, where Divisional Commissioner Akhilesh Singh and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Sanjeev Tyagi, showered flowers while conducting aerial inspection of security arrangements for kanwariyas.
The Shiva devotees were visiting ancient Bhadeshwarnath Temple to perform jalabhishek and other rituals, officials said.