Kashi marks Annakoot on 10 November with laddoo Shivalaya and 501-quintal offering

VARANASI: Temples across Kashi will celebrate Annakoot on Tuesday, 10 November, the Kartik Shukla Pratipada that follows Diwali, with Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham and the Annapurna temple preparing their largest food offerings of the year.

For residents and visiting pilgrims, Annakoot is one of the most striking days on the city's festival calendar. Temple halls are stacked with sweets, savouries and the traditional chhappan bhog, and families visit several shrines in the old city on the same evening to see the decorations.

What to see: At Kashi Vishwanath Dham, a Shivalaya built from 1008 laddoos will be set up in the Baikunth Mandap, shaped with a special mould the temple has used for decades. The moveable idols of the Shiva family will receive a special adornment. At the Annapurna temple, this year's offering will be 501 quintals, and the premises will be dressed with 51 kinds of sweets and 21 kinds of namkeen. The golden form of Goddess Annapurna and the distribution of the temple's khazana prasad continue until the shayan aarti on Annakoot night.

When and where: A Govardhan Puja procession with tableaux on episodes from Lord Krishna's life will leave Hathua Market at 12 noon on 10 November, organised by the Govardhan Puja Samiti. The temple administration has asked visitors to follow the marked routes and cooperate with security arrangements.

Details are from Dainik Bhaskar's Varanasi report of 9 November and KTV Varanasi's report of 7 November.