Security beefed up at temples in Brijbhoomi ahead of Akshay Tritiya

Security has been stepped up at temples in Brijbhoomi, a region around Mathura-Vrindavan, owing to influx of a large number of pilgrims on Akshay Tritiya festival, which falls on May 7 this year, an official said.

"Security has been beefed up at temples, specially in Vrindaban and Goverdhan where traffic restrictions have been imposed," SP (Traffic) Brijesh Kumar Singh said.

The entry of all four-wheelers in Vrindaban and Goverdhan would remain banned from the afternoon of May 6 to the midnight of May 7, he said.

While heavy vehicles coming from Delhi-Agra side on NH2 would be parked in Chatikara, cars would be parked in multi-storeyed parking of Rakmini Vihar, he added.

Similarly, cars coming from the Yamuna Express Way would be parked near the 100 bed-hospital and cars coming from the Mathura side would be park near Pagal Baba temple, Singh said.

No four-wheelers would be allowed to enter in Goverdhan from any side while Parikrama Marg is already out of bounds for such vehicles, the SP (Traffic) added.

Preparation for the pulp of sandalwood are in full swing in Mathura temples, as Brijbhoomi gears up for Akshay Tritiya festival.

"While in other temples, the pulp of sandalwood is prepared by rubbing wet sandalwood stick against the wet rough surface in any part of the temple, in Srinath Ji temple falling on Goverdhan Parikrama part of Rajasthan, it is prepared in the sanctum sanctorum under the lotus feet of the principal deity," Chandra Prakash, the head priest of the Srinath temple, Punchhari, said.

The wet pulp is used for attire of the principal deity in different temples.

According to Gyanendra Kishor Goshwami, Rajbhog Sevayat Acharya , the pilgrims would have the privilege of 'Charan Darshan' (seeing the lotus feet of principal deity) in the morning shift while they would get to see the whole body (Sarvang Darshan) in the evening shift.

The festival marks the beginning of 'grismakaleen seva' (summer worship of deity) in the temples, said Padama Nabh Goswami, the head priest of the ancient Radha Raman temple in Vrindaban.