Devotees across India begin New Year 2026 with prayers, holy dips and temple visits

NEW DELHI: As the clock struck midnight, ushering in New Year 2026, devotees across India chose faith and prayer to mark the beginning of the year, with temples, shrines and holy rivers witnessing massive footfalls on Thursday.

In Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, thousands of devotees visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra. Jyoti Singh, one of the pilgrims, said her journey was guided by faith. “I wanted to go to Vrindavan, but due to the blessings of Mata Rani, I have come here. May Mata Rani bless everyone”, she said.

#WATCH | Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir: Devotees in huge numbers visit Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra on the occasion of #NewYear2026 pic.twitter.com/0W88PMC72y

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2026

Punjab’s Amritsar also saw large gatherings as devotees offered prayers and witnessed the traditional ‘Prabhat Pheri’ at the Shri Harmandir Sahib on the first day of the year. In the national capital, devotees thronged prominent temples, including Jhandewalan Temple and the Sai Baba Temple at Lodhi Road, offering prayers for peace, prosperity and good health in 2026.

Uttar Pradesh emerged as a major focal point of religious activity. Large crowds gathered at the Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. In Prayagraj, devotees took a holy dip in the Ganga river to welcome the new year.

#WATCH | Haridwar, Uttarakhand: Devotees gathered in large numbers to take a holy dip in the Ganga river on the first day of 2026. pic.twitter.com/m0YOuGhJHI

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2026

At Haridwar in Uttarakhand, pilgrims and tourists flocked to Har Ki Pauri to take a ritual dip in the Ganga. Jhoomar, a devotee visiting with her family, said that the experience was special. “It is a nice beginning of the new year for us. I am very thrilled and excited to be here. The vibes are positive. We wanted to do something different and connect to our roots. It was important for the kids as well”, she said.

Nandini Joshi, who visited the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, praised the arrangements. “We were planning for a long time to come here, and today we started the new year with aarti and darshan. The management was commendable, and everything was done peacefully. I will forever remember this day”, she said.

#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Devotees offer prayers at the Arulmigu Vadapalani Andavar Temple on the occasion of #NewYear2026 pic.twitter.com/WWDGFLjkxB

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2026

In Mathura, Chanchal, a devotee from Dwarka in Gujarat, said beginning the year with devotion brought inner peace. “We have come to seek the blessings of Shri Krishna and start our year with that. We attended Yamuna Aarti, Braj-bhoomi Darshan and Janmbhoomi Darshan. I wish everyone a happy new year”, she said.

Eastern India also saw significant footfall, with devotees offering prayers at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, while in Assam, devotees thronged the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati on the first day of the year. In Telangana, devotees offered prayers at the Hanuman Temple in Chikkadpalli, Hyderabad, marking the new year with devotion.

#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: Devotees offer prayers at the Hanuman temple in Chikkadpalli in Hyderabad on the occasion of #NewYear2026 pic.twitter.com/WOxCZNrpLa

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2026

From the Himalayas to the coasts, the first day of 2026 reflected a strong spiritual fervour, as people from different parts of the country chose to begin the year with prayers, rituals and a renewed connection to faith. (ANI)