The first traditional procession of Lord Mahakal during the Shravan-Bhadav month has begun from today, but amid compliance of unlock norms. Darshan started at Mahakaleshwar Temple on Monday at 5.30 am on the first Monday of Sawan. About 7.5 thousand devotees were given online permission for darshan in the usual queue. Darshan will take place in four innings till 9 pm. Entrance is being given from Shankhadwar Gate for darshan. The devotees are being allowed to visit the temple after the health test. There is a restriction on carrying of worship material, flowers, offerings, water-milk to the temple. Devotees are seen from Ganesh Mandapam behind Nandigriha.
After customary worship of the Lord Mahakal’s replica at 4 pm, the procession will start from the Mahakaleshwar temple. It will then traverse through the rescheduled route viz Bada Ganesh Mandir road, Harsiddhi Chouraha, Narsing Ghat road, Siddh Ashram and will reached Ram Ghat for traditional puja-archana of the replica with the waters of river Kshipra. The procession will then traverse through Ramanujkot, Harsiddhi Ki Paal, Harsiddhi Mandir, Bada Ganesh Mandir road, and culminate at Mahakaleshwar Temple.
This maiden ride of Mahakaleshwar will depart from the temple premises at 4 pm on Monday. The administration has made arrangements for the devotees who have done to have darshan a day before at the Mahakaleshwar temple, but devotees are not allowed to visit the ride. The Green Corridor has been shortened for the ride. The routes en route are barricaded and closed. On the onset of Sawan, special decoration was done for Baba Mahakal. Devotees started to gather from morning to pay obeisance. The entire temple complex was buzzed by Baba's cheer.
A total of 5 riders of Lord Mahakal in Sawan and 2 in Bhadau will leave. The last ride will be prominent. The administration has banned pilgrims in the ride to prevent corona infection. For this, all the routes have been blocked in one km part of the ride route. The Green Corridor has been barricaded on either side of the route. Only priests and other personnel of the protocol will be allowe to enter it.
A separate route has been prepared for the media and other permission holders. According to IG Rakesh Gupta, a green corridor has been built for the ride. No one will enter it except for the ride protocol which includes police bands, cavalry, armed forces, priests along with palanquin. There will be a second barricading route for the movement of other permit holders. All routes leading to the ride route will be closed.
The 27 lanes of the first ride route will be closed completely on Monday. During the ride, the police will stop the movement in a kilometer area of the ride route for four hours. As per sources, between 2 pm to 6.30 pm on Monday, Chardham, Begambagh, Kotmohalla, Gudri, Kaharwadi, Shankaracharya Chauraha, Narsinghat Reach Road, Yantra Mahal to Chardham Reach Road, Danigat to Ramghat-Mumbai Dharamshala Route will be restricted.
