Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya marked the first day of 2025 by offering prayers at the Mansa Devi temple. Accompanied by his wife, the Governor performed a havan and paid obeisance at the temple to seek blessings from the goddess for the well-being of the state and the nation. Speaking to the media afterward, he wished everyone a Happy New Year and expressed his hope for continued progress in Haryana and India, emphasizing that the New Year would be particularly auspicious for the farmers and poor people of Haryana.
Across the country, people gathered in large numbers at temples and churches to celebrate the arrival of the new year. In cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ayodhya, Haridwar, Mathura, Varanasi, Ajmer, Tirupati, and Guwahati, devotees flocked to iconic religious sites.
In Delhi, despite the inclement weather, people began the day with prayers and 'aarti' at prominent places like the Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place, Jhandewalan temple, Kalkaji temple, Chhatarpur temple, and Birla Mandir.
In Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, a large crowd gathered at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple to offer their prayers, while Varanasi’s residents started their day with the majestic Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat. Mathura’s Banke Bihari Temple also saw a significant number of devotees.
Celebrations continued in southern India as well, with prayers held at San Thome Church in Chennai, and the Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple in Tirupati and Meenakshi Temple in Madurai attracting large crowds. In Ajmer, devotees gathered at the Khwaja Gareeb Nawaz Dargah after the Jannati Gate opened. Devotees in Haridwar took a ceremonial dip in the Ganga River to mark the first day of the year, while people also visited Mata Mansa Devi Temple in Panchkula, Haryana, and Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.