Varanasi: The festival of Annakoot was celebrated with devotion and grandeur at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham on Tuesday, on the Pratipada Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Kartik.Observed in commemoration of Lord Krishna’s worship of Govardhan Parvat, Annakoot symbolises abundance, food security, gratitude, and reverence for nature and the divine.On the auspicious occasion, Lord Shri Vishweshwar Mahadev was adorned with 21 quintals of assorted sweets, including boondi laddoos, dry fruit laddoos, and other traditional offerings. The temple premises were decorated with flowers, lamps, and fragrant incense, creating a deeply devotional atmosphere.As part of the celebrations, the Panchbadan silver movable idols of Lord Shri Vishwanath, Mata Gauri, and Lord Ganesh were taken out in a grand procession from the residence of the Mahant family at Tedhineem. Amid the sounds of shehnai and damru and chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev,’ the idols were ceremoniously installed in the sanctum sanctorum.The midday Bhog Aarti of Shri Vishwanath Ji was then performed with full rituals, and various offerings were presented to Lord Vishweshwar. After the Aarti, prasadam was distributed among devotees, who received it with joy and prayed for prosperity, health, and peace.
