Pyramid of sweets pulls devouts to Kashi temples

Varanasi, Oct 22 (UNI) After a signature 'Deepawali' night hogged by crackers and colourful flares, devouts here today woke up to a sweet spectacle in all major temples of the city.

Pyramids of 56 sweets and snacks -- Annakoot -- suffused prominent temples in the city. Spanning from 'desi ladoos' to mouth-watering 'gulab jamuns', the temples, particularly, the Kashi Vishwanath, Goddess Annapurna and Tulsi Manas Mandir, hailed the unending influx of devotees jostling to catch the glimpse of the sweet pyramid.

''The Annakoot Mahotsava in the city symbolises that as per the blessings of Goddess Annapurna and Lord Shiva, none of the denizens of this holy city will have to sleep hungry,'' Mr Mahant Rameshwar Puri, head priest of the Annapurna temple told UNI here.

The pyramid of sweets, however, had not ended with traditional sweets only, but comprised toffees, chocolates and snacks.

The devotees, hailing from across the country, had a tough time getting the glimpse of the golden idol of Goddess Annapurna, which is on public display only during the Deepwali celebrations. They had to jostle to get the prized blessings of the Goddess -- the coins stored in the temple treasury.

''It is a long-standing belief that coins, distributed as blessings of the Goddess, bring and retain fortune to those household who visit the temple during Deepawali,'' Mr Puri said.

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