New Year 2026 Rush: Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakal Suspend VIP Darshan; Vrindavan Issues Advisory

As the countdown to New Year 2026 begins, massive crowds have choked major pilgrimage sites across India. In a special report, India Today highlights the situation in Puri, Vrindavan, Ujjain, Somnath, and Varanasi. The rush is so intense that the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga have suspended VIP and protocol darshan to manage the surge. In Vrindavan, the Banke Bihari temple administration has urged devotees to 'postpone visits unless absolutely necessary' due to packed streets and traffic jams. Drone visuals from Varanasi capture thousands moving towards the Ganga Ghats. A devotee at one of the temples remarked, 'The temple has become very beautiful and beautiful.' Authorities are working round the clock as footfall crosses lakhs.