Crowd pressure peaks during year-end and New Year celebrations
Shri Banke Bihari Ji Temple Management Committee has urged devotees to avoid visiting the famed temple in Vrindavan between December 29 and January 5, citing an overwhelming surge of pilgrims during the year-end period.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the committee said that following consultations with the Goswami (priest) community, the advisory was issued due to massive crowds in and around the temple, causing severe inconvenience and raising safety concerns. The narrow lanes of Vrindavan, particularly around the Banke Bihari Ji Temple, have become so congested that movement is extremely difficult, the committee said, warning of a high risk of untoward incidents.
Vrindavan, Mathura, and other religious sites in the Braj region witness a sharp spike in footfall during the New Year period as devotees arrive in large numbers to seek the blessings of Shri Krishna. The temple management specifically appealed to devotees to avoid bringing young children, elderly persons, women, people with disabilities, and those who are unwell during this period, advising them to plan their visit only after the crowds subside.
The committee recommended postponing visits until after January 5 and urged devotees to assess the crowd situation before planning their travel. Meanwhile, the Mathura district administration has imposed restrictions on the entry of outside vehicles into Vrindavan to ease congestion. Large vehicles are being diverted, barricades have been set up on all entry routes, and traffic is being directed to designated parking zones to manage the rush.
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