Varanasi: Dhanteras brought a golden glow to Kashi on Friday, with Maa Annapurna, the goddess of food and nourishment, appearing in her resplendent golden form at the historic Annapurna Temple. The rare darshan drrew devotees in large numbers to seek blessings of the goddess, revered as the divine mother who offered alms to Baba Vishwanath.The five-day religious tradition offers devotees a special opportunity to catch a glimpse of the golden deity. Adding to the spiritual fervour, the temple is also distributing Maa Annapurna’s sacred ‘treasure’ among devotees.Devotees began thronging the temple premises since the afternoon, eager to seek the goddess’s blessings during the special darshan. Long queues soon stretched outside the temple as worshippers waited for a glimpse of Maa Annapurna in her resplendent golden form.The treasure comprises puffed rice and coins, which are offered as prasad and considered highly auspicious. Devotees believe that receiving the goddess’s blessing brings prosperity, food security and divine grace to their homes.The Annapurna Temple witnesses a huge influx of devotees every year during the Dhanteras and Diwali festivities. The goddess’s golden darshan remains one of the most significant religious events for devotees visiting Kashi during this period.After Dhanteras, devotees will continue to have the opportunity to offer prayers and seek darshan of Maa Annapurna every day until November 10. Special arrangements have been made to manage the crowds and ensure smooth darshan for worshippers arriving from different parts of the city and beyond.
