Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 28 (ANI): A large number of devotees gathered at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi to celebrate Rangbhari Ekadashi ahead of the Holi festival.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, highlighted the historical significance of Rangbhari Ekadashi and noted that the city of Varanasi continues to uphold its centuries-old customs.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, while speaking to ANI, said, “The tradition of Rangbhari Ekadashi is very ancient in Kashi…This tradition is followed in Kashi Vishwanath Dham…Cultural programs are also held during this time.”
Meanwhile, Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand celebrated Holi with flowers at Jyotish Vidyapeeth and extended his greetings on the occasion, following the Allahabad High Court’s stay order on his arrest earlier yesterday.
Additionally, the Batuks (young disciples) of the monastery took the Shankaracharya’s blessings while raising slogans of “Gau Hamari Mata Hai” (The Cow is our Mother) and “Shankaracharya Ki Jai” (Victory to the Shankaracharya).
Speaking to ANI, a disciple of Shankaracharya welcomed the High Court’s order, calling it a victory of righteousness and extended cooperation for the legal proceedings.
“We were saying this from the beginning that those students never studied here and had no contact with Shankracharya. The same was appealed in the court, which then put a stay on the arrest. We will cooperate with the court completely. The decision of the High Court has reaffirmed that justice prevails and we have always had full faith in the court…,” he said.
Earlier that day, Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand also welcomed the Allahabad High Court’s order staying his arrest and, in connection with the POCSO case, stated that the court agreed with their appeal.
The High Court, while staying the arrest of Shankracharya and his disciple Pratyakchaitanya Mukundanand Giri, has reserved its order on their anticipatory bail application, earlier yesterday. (ANI)