Ahmedabad, Nov 10 (IANS) Long queues of devotees, traditional tribal dances and elaborate food offerings at temples marked the beginning of 'Vikram Samvat 2083' across Gujarat on Tuesday, as people welcomed the Gujarati New Year with religious fervour and celebrations rooted in local customs.
From the Somnath and Ambaji temples to shrines in Ahmedabad, Unjha, Patan and Jamnagar, large numbers of devotees gathered from early morning to offer prayers and seek blessings on Bestu Varas, the first day of the Gujarati calendar.
In Ahmedabad, the Bhadrakali Temple witnessed a heavy rush of devotees, with queues stretching up to 1.5 km as people waited for darshan.
The temple was among the prominent religious sites in the city to see large gatherings on the occasion.
At the Somnath Temple in Gir Somnath district, devotees from across India and abroad attended the first morning aarti of Somnath Mahadev, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
The temple premises echoed with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Jai Somnath' as devotees prayed for the well-being and prosperity of their families, world peace and the welfare of all.
The New Year sunrise and the special adornment of the deity added to the celebrations at the pilgrimage site.
At Ambaji Temple in Banaskantha district, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, the shrine was decorated with colourful flowers and lights for Bestu Varas. During the Mangala Aarti, devotees performed garba at Chachar Chowk to the chants of 'Bol Mari Ambe, Jai Jai Ambe'.
Special aartis were also held at the Ambikeshwar Mahadev and Siddhivinayak temples, while an Annakut offering was scheduled for the afternoon. In Unjha, the Shri Umiya Mataji Temple, regarded as the clan deity of the Kadva Patidar community, witnessed long queues of devotees.
Pilgrims, including groups who had travelled on foot, arrived to offer prayers amid chants of 'Jai Maa Umiya'.
The Umiya Mataji Sansthan made arrangements for accommodation, food and darshan, with facilities at Mansarovar Vishranti Griha, Uma Bhavan and Pathikashram.
Parking and security arrangements were also made with the assistance of the local administration and volunteers. In Patan, the Kalika Mataji Temple, the presiding deity's shrine in the historic town, was decorated with a special Aagi adornment.
A traditional fair also began on the occasion, with celebrations scheduled to continue from Kartak Sud Ekam to Poonam. An Annakut offering was organised at Ramji Temple in the town.
In Jamnagar, devotees began arriving early at the Bala Hanuman Temple to seek blessings and witness the special adornment of Lord Ram and Hanumanji.
The temple is known for its uninterrupted Ramdhun, which has continued since 1964 and earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
At the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Atladara, Vadodara, an elaborate Annakut Mahotsav was organised to mark the beginning of the New Year. Following the annual tradition, the celebrations began with an offering of food to the deities after Govardhan Puja.
More than 1,200 varieties of dishes were arranged before the idols as part of the Annakut. In Valsad district, the New Year celebrations offered a glimpse of the traditional culture of tribal communities in Dharampur and Kaprada talukas.
Instead of modern festivities, residents welcomed the occasion through age-old customs, traditional attire and Gheraiya dances.
The beats of drums and folk performances brought the two tribal talukas alive with celebrations. In Mahisagar district, devotees visited temples across Lunawada from early morning to offer prayers and seek blessings.
People also exchanged New Year greetings, marking the occasion with religious observances and community celebrations. The celebrations also saw political and administrative leaders extending greetings across the state.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel began the day by offering prayers at Panchdev Temple in Gandhinagar and later visited Trimandir in Adalaj and Maa Bhadrakali Temple in Ahmedabad.
He prayed for the happiness, peace and prosperity of citizens and the continued development of Gujarat. Patel also called on Governor Acharya Devvrat at Lok Bhavan in Gandhinagar to extend New Year greetings.
In Ahmedabad, he met prominent citizens, public representatives and residents at the Annexe Circuit House in Shahibaug before visiting the Police Officers' Mess at Dafnala to exchange greetings with senior police officers and their families.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, State Police Chief G.S. Malik, senior police officers and their family members were present at the Police Officers' Mess.
The Chief Minister also exchanged greetings with citizens, serving and retired senior bureaucrats, MLAs and other representatives at the Ministers' Residential Complex in Gandhinagar.
In his New Year message, Patel urged people to work collectively towards building a developed and drug-free Gujarat, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed and drug-free India.
He also called for promoting social harmony, supporting local artisans and small industries, and strengthening the 'Vocal for Local' initiative.
Across Gujarat, the beginning of Vikram Samvat 2083 was thus marked by a combination of religious observances, community gatherings and traditional cultural celebrations, with temples and pilgrimage centres witnessing large numbers of visitors throughout the day.
