Overview
- Temple authorities and police said the first Sawan Somvar on Monday, August 3, 2026, drew massive crowds with Kashi Vishwanath reporting more than 2.25 lakh visitors by 7 a.m. and an expected daily total near eight lakh.
- Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga recorded over three lakh devotees by early afternoon, with priests performing Bhasma Aarti, Panchamrit Abhishek and a dry‑fruit garland for the deity.
- State and local authorities deployed extra police, CCTV and drone surveillance, set up quick‑response teams and imposed traffic diversions along Kanwar routes to manage pilgrim movement and city traffic.
- Kanwar yatras accelerated across several states, including a Baneshwari procession from Maheshwar to Ujjain, and officials reported on‑route incidents such as an emergency childbirth in Muzaffarnagar where both mother and twins were reported healthy.
- The Shravan month’s timing varies by regional lunar calendars, which shifts observance windows across states, and officials warned that pilgrim flows and traffic pressures will continue through the coming Somwars.