The Varanasi Municipal Corporation has decided to play Shiv stotra through public address systems at 55 major intersections across the city every morning during the holy month of Shravan, officials said on Thursday.
The decision was taken at the municipal corporation's executive committee meeting chaired by Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari at the Smart City auditorium on Tuesday, they said.
According to civic officials, the stotra -- a Sanskrit religious hymn dedicated to Lord Shiva -- will be played daily from 5.30 am to 6.30 am through public address systems installed at 55 prominent intersections across the city.
The initiative aims to create a devotional atmosphere in the temple town, which witnesses a massive influx of devotees during Shravan, a month considered especially auspicious for the worship of Lord Shiva.
The executive committee also reviewed civic preparedness in view of the ongoing monsoon and the possibility of flooding.
It directed the municipal administration to remain on high alert and ensure a prompt response to any flood-related situation.
The committee further resolved to keep the areas around all Shiva temples and other places of worship free of plastic during Shravan as part of a cleanliness and environmental protection drive.
The civic body also directed officials to make adequate arrangements for the smooth movement of kanwar pilgrims visiting the city.
Officials were instructed to develop and maintain rest shelters for the pilgrims and ensure that public toilets remain open round the clock and are available free of charge.
Varanasi, one of Hinduism's holiest cities and home to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, attracts lakhs of devotees during Shravan, with kanwariyas arriving from different parts of the country to offer holy Ganga water to Lord Shiva.
