MEERUT: The Allahabad high court (HC) has ordered the live-streaming of worship proceedings at the popular Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan during the forthcoming Janmashtami celebrations from Aug 25 to 29. The directive , a first for the temple, which sees lakhs of devotees and has also witnessed deaths due to fainting and stampede inside the shrine, was issued in response to an affidavit filed by Anmol Garg, a state govt official, regarding measures that would be implemented to "avert the tragic incidents that occurred in the past". Last year, two devotees died of suffocation within the temple premises due to the heavy rush.
In Aug 2022, during Janmashtami celebrations, two persons had died in a stampede during the 'Mangala Aarti', a once-in-a-year ritual that happens only on Janmashtami. The bench, comprising of Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, delivered the directive on Wednesday. In compliance with HC's earlier order dated Nov 8, 2023, the state had submitted an affidavit outlining several points, including the live-streaming of proceedings on large screens, strategically positioned in areas where a significant number of devotees are expected to assemble.
The affidavit asserted that live-streaming would enable a maximum number of devotees to catch a glimpse of the deity, even if they were unable to physically enter the temple during the designated 'darshan' hours. Proper barricades will also be erected to facilitate the orderly entry and exit of the devotees, it added. Incidentally, as per the decision reached by the temple's coordinate committee last year, only 600 devotees including the temple's sevayats (personnel offering service), are to be granted entry into the premises and doors are to remain closed until the conclusion of the 'Mangala Aarti'.
These devotees will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. On the day of Janmashtami and during the 'Mangala Aarti', the entire area of the temple premises will be segmented into three zones, 10 sectors and 208 duty points..
