Varanasi: The rising water level in the Ganga river amid rainfall has submerged the Assi Ghat forcing the devotees to carry out the 'Ganga aarti' in the middle of the road. According to officials, the water level in the river at Varanasi crossed the warning level of 70.26 metres on Saturday and stands at 70.33 metres, which is 7 cm above the warning level.
While the flood situation has affected normal life in general, temple rituals have also been affected in particular in Varanasi. The Ganga aarti, which used to be offered in the evenings in Varanasi is now being offered on the road. In order to carry on the ritual, only one priest was offering Ganga aarti instead of mass 'aarti' reducing the grandeur and leaving the devotees disappointed.
Also read: Ghats go under water in Varanasi, cremations take place on streets, terraces
Significantly, after the increase in the water level of the Ganges in Varanasi over the past month, it had calmed down for a few days. However, the continuous heavy rains in Uttarakhand and Rajasthan have again swollen the river. Pertinently, the rising water level of the Ganga and Varuna rivers has submerged parts of Varanasi, including its famous ghats, forcing the cremation of bodies brought to the Harishchandra and Manikarnika ghats in nearby streets and terraces.
People affected by the flood have taken refuge in safer areas as the administration prepares to shift them to relief camps. Taking a serious note of the problems faced by the people of his Parliamentary constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed officials to provide all possible help to people already in the relief camps.
