Archive · 1 Jan 2026
Uttar Pradesh Celebrates New Year Amid Security and Devotion
Uttar Pradesh celebrated New Year's Eve with a mix of festivities, devotion, and heightened security.
Cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, and Ayodhya saw large crowds at public squares, religious shrines, and shopping hubs.
Special events like the Ganga Aarti in Varanasi and the Kashi Vishwanath temple visit drew huge numbers.
Security measures were intensified to ensure safety.
Meanwhile, Kashmir also celebrated with heavy tourist rush and snowy cheer at popular destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
The government praised the development in religious tourism, while the opposition was criticized for past actions in Ayodhya.
Uttar Pradesh celebrated New Year's Eve with heightened security and devotion, with major cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, and Ayodhya seeing large crowds.
Special events like the Ganga Aarti in Varanasi and visits to the Kashi Vishwanath temple drew huge numbers of devotees and tourists.
Security measures included traffic checks, bomb disposal squads, sniffer dog units, and anti-sabotage teams to ensure peaceful celebrations.
Kashmir celebrated the New Year with heavy tourist rush and snowy cheer at destinations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg.
CM Yogi Adityanath praised PM Narendra Modi for fulfilling the centuries-old aspiration of building the Ram Temple and criticized the opposition for causing unrest in Ayodhya through appeasement politics.
- Who
- CM Yogi Adityanath, PM Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, tourists, and locals
- What
- New Year's Eve celebrations with heightened security and devotion
- When
- December 31, 2025
- Where
- Uttar Pradesh and Kashmir
- Why
- To celebrate the New Year and ensure peaceful and incident-free celebrations
Government
Opposition
Political Stance on Ayodhya
Government
CM Yogi Adityanath praised PM Narendra Modi for fulfilling the centuries-old aspiration of building the Ram Temple and criticized the opposition for causing unrest in Ayodhya through appeasement politics.
Opposition
The opposition likely holds a different view, possibly criticizing the government's handling of the situation or the political narrative around the Ram Temple.
- Location
- Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Noida, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Meerut, and Kashmir
- Event
- New Year's Eve celebrations and heightened security
- Key Figures
- CM Yogi Adityanath, PM Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Sushant Mishra, Vishwabhushan Mishra, Bablu Kumar, Shashank Singh
- Security Measures
- Elaborate security arrangements, including traffic checks, layered security grids, bomb disposal squads, sniffer dog units, and anti-sabotage teams
- Tourist Numbers
- Nearly 20 lakh devotees at Kashi Vishwanath temple over the past week, with around five lakh expected on the first day of the New Year
- Cultural Impact
- Renovation of religious sites and improved connectivity
- Tourist Destinations in Kashmir
- Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, and Lal Chowk
Sources
Ayodhya saw unrest due to appeasement politics: CM Yogi attacks Opposition
Rising trend of religious tourism among youth: Millions of young people flock Kashi, Mathura, Ayodhya on New Year
Ayodhya has transformed under PM Modi’s leadership in last decade: Adityanath
Registration suspended at Vaishno Devi shrine amid heavy New Year rush
VIDEO: Kashmir Welcomes New Year With Heavy Tourist Rush & Snowy Cheer
Uttar Pradesh Welcomes New Year Amid Festivities & Tight Security
Temples across Rajasthan witness huge rush on New Year’s Day
Rituals begin at Ram Temple complex
Thousands of devotees visit Puri Jagannath temple on New Year’s Day
Thousands throng Puri for New Year
New Year dawns with holy dips, pilgrim rush across UP despite cold, fog
From Mahakumbh to UNESCO recognition, 2025 redefined Uttar Pradesh Tourism in 2026
From Prayagraj to Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura: Faith corridors redrew tourism map of UP in 2025