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Varanasi : Police are having a hard task managing the huge congregation of kanwariyas and pilgrims that has taken place in the city. From Shrawan Shivratri on Sunday to the second Monday of Shrawan, the city has turned into a virtual camp of the 'Shiv bhaktas'.
The kanwariyas started arriving in the city since Aug 7th evening. The barricading installed along Bansphatap and Chowk roads for smooth entry of devotees to highly sensitive Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex soon filled up to capacity.
The crowd control exercise of the police became more hectic by Sunday midnight as the queues of devotees and kanwariyas stretched from Dashashwamedh Ghat to Maidagin. The doors of the sanctum sanctorum of KVT were opened after Mangla Aarti at 3.30 am. This huge crowd was visible till Aug 9th afternoon.
According to ASP (security) Amarendra Pratap, the number of kanwariyas and devotees entering the sanctum sanctorum of KVT was more than 1.5 lakh by 5 pm on Monday. Beside, over 100 `daak-bums' (those kanwariyas who cover the distance from the origin to destination by running continuously) also arrived at the KVT. They were allowed into the temple through Dhundhiraj Ganesh gate.
Ban on the entry of heavy vehicles inside the city, route diversions and security arrangements remained effective like on first Monday. Massive gathering of devotees was also visible at other prominent temples of Lord Shiva including Tilbhandeshwar, Mrityunjaya Mahadeo, Onkaleshwar, Kedareshwar, Sarangnath and Markandeya Mahadeo Kaithi.
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