Lord Krishna's midnight 'abhishek' performed at Mathura temples

Sounds of drums, conches, gongs and cymbals reverberated the Shrikrishna Janmasthan complex here during 'abhishek' ceremony, the traditional bathing of the deity, performed at the midnight to mark the birth of Lord Krishna.

Devotees in large numbers paid obeisance to the deity at the Bhagwat Bhavan temple Thursday midnight and beyond with tremendous religious excitement, office-bearers of the Shrikrishna Janmasthan said.

''At the Shrikrishna Janmasthan, the abhishek ceremony was conducted under the supervision of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das,'' Srikrishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan Secretary Kapil Sharma said. Das is the head of Srikrishna Janmabhumi Nyas.

Sharma said the devotees also chanted slogans to mark the birth of Lord Krishna at the midnight.

The devotees were allowed to pay their obeisance to the deity till 1.30 am.

In Vrindavan, the district administration's plan to allow only 500 people including priests of the temple during mangla aarti was put into effect to avert the possibility of any untoward incident.

District Magistrate Shailendra Singh along with senior officials continued to monitor the situation and arrangements at the major temples during the celebrations.

At the Krishna Balaram temple (ISKCON), the devotees cut a large cake to mark the occasion.

Thousands of devotees paid their obeisance to deities in different temples of Mathura, Vrindavan and Govardhan during the abhishek ceremony performed at Thursday midnight.

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