Varanasi: Damru before the 2022 assembly polls, trishul before the 2024 Varanasi Lok Sabha fight — both at Kashi Vishwanath Temple. On Wednesday, as Bengal’s last phase began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emerged from the sanctum holding trishul and damru together.Amid conch shells resounding and Vedic chants rising from 108 batuks of Annapurna Rishikul Brahmcharya Vidyalaya at Gate-4 of KV Dham, Modi entered the shrine. Guided by five priests, he performed rituals at the sanctum sanctorum. As he stepped out, mayor Ashok Tiwari presented him with a trishul and damru.As PM Modi displayed the trishul and damru to the audience, temple priests said it was the third instance since the rejuvenated KV Dham was inaugurated on Dec 13, 2021, that he carried the symbols after offering prayers to Lord Vishwanath. In March 2022, ahead of the UP assembly polls, he was seen playing a damru after exiting the sanctum sanctorum. In March 2024, before the Lok Sabha polls, he raised a trishul after coming out of the KVT sanctum.In a post on X before leaving for Hardoi to launch Ganga Expressway, Modi said: “Har Har Mahadev! I was fortunate to have darshan and perform pooja at Baba Vishwanath Temple in Kashi. Here, I prayed to Lord Bholenath for happiness, prosperity, and a healthy life for all citizens of the country.”“The darshan of Maa Annapurna and Maa Ganga brought immense peace. May their grace infuse positive energy in everyone! Salutations once again to the people of Kashi,” he added.Later, Modi walked to Mandir Chowk to view the ‘Vikramaditya Vedic Clock’ — a 700-kg marvel of tradition and tech installed on April 5 after a gift from Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav. He lingered for minutes before the clock, which maps India’s ancient timekeeping — dividing the day into 30 muhurtas and showing Local Mean Time, tithi, nakshatra and more — before taking the corridor toward the Ganga.On his way back to the main temple, he saw children among the pilgrims in the barricaded area and called them. He spoke with them briefly, then exited the shrine.Devotees and supporters were seen raising slogans such as “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Shri Ram” to welcome the prime minister, who greeted them by waving and folding his hands.Modi’s convoy left the BLW guest house for Kashi Vishwanath temple around 8:45 am. Though the bright sun had already turned harsh, a huge crowd lined the barricaded roads to greet him, and he kept waving back. The fleet moved through Banaras Railway Station, Phulwaria overbridge, Central Jail Road, Hockey Chauraha, Kachahari Golghara, Police Lines crossing, Hukulganj, Teliabagh, Jagatganj, Lahurabir, Kabirchaura and Maidagin before reaching Gate-4 of KV Dham.BJP media in-charge Arvind Mishra said people in Varanasi were eager to catch a glimpse of the prime minister, with a large number of party workers, office-bearers and local residents lining the entire route.Mishra said multiple welcome points had been set up along the route, where party workers and locals welcomed the prime minister with rose petals, drum beats and conch shells.The roadshow, stretching around 14 kilometres, is being described by party leaders as one of the largest ever in the city.Jubilant BJP workers, who had gathered at many points, welcomed Modi with chants of Har-Har Mahadev and Jai Shri Ram amidst showering of rose petals. Throughout this, PM Modi greeted people from inside his vehicle, sometimes with folded hands and sometimes by waving.
