Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The entire team of the film Hanuman Ansh visited Kainchi Dham in Nainital, where lead actor Shobhinav Satya paid his respects at the shrine of Baba Neeb Karori Maharaj. The team offered prayers, took part in the Aarti and sought Baba’s blessings, with the visit unfolding in what the team described as the spiritual energy of Kainchi Dham.
After the prayers, Shobhinav said reaching the threshold of Baba Neeb Karori Maharaj was a truly special experience for him and added that Baba’s blessings hold immense significance in his life. He also thanked audiences for the love shown to the film, saying their support had helped Hanuman Ansh reach a special milestone.
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Speaking after offering prayers, Shobhinav said the response to the film had been deeply meaningful and thanked viewers wholeheartedly, saying their love and support had played a pivotal role in making the film a “super-duper hit”.
He also said Uttarakhand is known across the world not only for its natural beauty but also for its spiritual heritage. Alongside the Char Dham sites of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, Kainchi Dham stands as a major centre of faith for millions of devotees.
Shobhinav also appreciated the development work being carried out to improve access to tourism and religious destinations in Uttarakhand.
Crowd build-up at the shrine
The visit came at a time when Kainchi Dham has been seeing a heavy rush. Hanuman Ansh director Dr Vishal Chaturvedi had shared a video message on Instagram on Sunday evening asking devotees to think twice before making the trip and to check the situation at the shrine before setting out, amid reports of long traffic jams and a sharp rise in the number of visitors.
Videos from the area have been widely shared on social media, showing long lines of vehicles on the roads leading to Kainchi Dham and large crowds outside the ashram. Some posts also linked the sudden increase in visitors to Hanuman Ansh, which tells the story of Neem Karoli Baba. Chaturvedi, however, did not say the film alone was responsible for the rush.
In his video message, he said, “Kainchi Dham is overcrowded and people have said that this is because of the influence of Hanuman Ansh. If that is the case, and if that is not the case, even then, people should visit there only after knowing the present conditions.” He also suggested that devotees who are unable to reach Kainchi Dham could consider visiting other places associated with Neem Karoli Baba, including Neem Karoli village and Vrindavan.
The director added, “It is my humble request that if there is overcrowding, please consider visiting other places. Don’t become part of a situation where women and children feel suffocated or get stuck in traffic jams.” He said his concern was to avoid a situation in which women and children were left feeling suffocated or people spent hours trapped on the roads.
Long weekend rush and traffic
The crowd began building around the long weekend, with October 2 falling on a government holiday, followed by Saturday and Sunday. Several popular destinations in Uttarakhand saw a similar surge, with Mussoorie also reporting a heavy influx of tourists. Thousands of vehicles from Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab were reported on the roads, especially on the Haldwani-Kainchi Dham route and roads leading towards Nainital and Almora.
The shrine’s daily footfall, earlier estimated at around 4,000 to 5,000 visitors, has reportedly crossed 6,000 on some days. Weekend crowds have been put at 15,000 to 20,000 or more, with the long weekend bringing an even bigger influx.
Kainchi Dham is a spiritual ashram and Hanuman temple founded in 1964 by Neem Karoli Baba, whose devotees regard him as an incarnation of Lord Hanuman.
The growing interest around the shrine has come alongside the strong theatrical run of Hanuman Ansh. Made on a reported budget of around Rs 2 crore, the film has found a much wider audience than initially expected.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
