Lakhs of devotees of Sri Radha-Krishna are flocking to temples in Mathura, Vrindavan and Goverdhan to seek divine blessings for 2023.

Police officials said traffic regulations will be in place to control the anticipated rush from Delhi, Haryana and other areas. New parking sites have been developed to keep vehicles out of crowded areas. Lakhs are expected to join the 21 km long ‘Parikrama’ of the holy Goverdhan hill that Sri Krishna is believed to have lifted on his little finger to protect the Brajbasis from the wrath of Lord Indra.

While most hotels in Agra region reported dull attendance, due to a slew of restrictions and fear of the pandemic, new year celebrations this year have taken a spiritual flavour. For the weekend, shrines in the Braj Mandal are drawing devotees.

In Mathura, thousands have begun congregating the famous Dwarkadheesh temple while in Vrindavan, the Banke Bihari temple remains the favourite of the devotees.

Jagan Nath Poddar, convener of Friends of Vrindavan said: “This year, people from Haryana, Delhi and neighbouring states, have chosen to begin their New year with a holy darshan in Vrindavan, Mathura and then come to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Most will spend a night in a luxury hotel in Agra and return via the Yamuna Expressway or the Agra-Lucknow Expressway.”

In Agra, the Archaeological Survey of India has made elaborate arrangements at the Taj Mahal and other monuments, expecting a big rush. A district official said Covid-19 precautions were being observed. This tourist season, has seen an encouraging increase in the number of visitors to Agra, after the hotels suffered a lot due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

“Tourism has suffered a lot but now we see a gradual revival and the increase in the daily numbers are a relief,” said tourism industry leader Sunil Gupta.

In the coming days, air connectivity with other cities will bring in more tourists. Local tourism sector has been demanding air connectivity with major destinations in India. Presently, Agra has air connectivity with five cities including Bangaluru.

Industry sources said that tourism has brought cheer back to the hospitality sector in Agra as the number of visitors to the Taj city has shown an appreciable improvement.

Agra has more than 500 big and small hotels, supporting over a lakh people through employment.

With three world heritage monuments and half a dozen other historical sites, Agra remains India’s top tourist destination. The number of tourists visiting Agra by road has increased substantially after the Yamuna Expressway and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway facilitated same-day return journey.

Ahead of the G20 meetings on February 8 and 9, the whole city is being spruced up. Developmental projects, hanging fire, for a long time, are being speeded up. But the dry and polluted Yamuna river remains a major worry, for the state government.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed.)