After returning from Canada after one hundred and eight years, the statue of Mother Annapurna, which was stolen, has been re-established in the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath honored the idol by offering prayers. Kashi Vishwanath temple was decorated like a bride for the restoration program. The idol is installed in the north-east corner of the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Even after being stolen, Kashi is called Anna Kshetra because of Mother Annapurna. Under the direction of Shri Kashi Vidvat Parishad, the eleven-member Archak Dal of Kashi Vishwanath Temple started worshiping from 5 in the morning. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself became the host at 9.30 in the morning. After consecration, Mahabhog was offered and Maha Aarti was performed and Prasad was distributed.
What is the secret of Maa Annapurna?
The idol of Mata Annapurna is associated with the identity of the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Due to the grace of the idol of the mother with a spoon and kheer in her hand, it is said that no one sleeps hungry because of Annapurna in Kashi. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath consecrated the rare 18th century idol. Five Deities including the idol of Mother Annapurna were established with full rituals. After being brought to Delhi, the statue was handed over to the UP government. This idol of Mother Annapurna reached Kashi through a procession from Delhi to Kashi. Between Delhi and Kashi, the idol stopped at about one and a half dozen places including Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Kasganj, Hathras, Kanpur, Etah where he was welcomed. During this the idol passed through 18 districts.
CM Yogi himself led
When the idol of Mother Annapurna reached Kashi, it was led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself. Chief Minister Yogi had come to Varanasi only on Sunday night for the prestige of life. At the same time, he had taken information about the preparations for the reception of the statue of Mother Annapurna and the consecration of life. After reviewing the development work and law and order in Circuit House, he also visited Kashi Vishwanath temple on Sunday. At that time, Shayan Aarti was going on in the temple. The Chief Minister saw Baba from the door itself. Later he also visited Maa Kushmanda. About a hundred years ago, this idol was stolen from the Ganga Ghat of Kashi and reached the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Canada’s University of Regina. This art gallery was created in 1936 according to the will of lawyer Norman McKenzie. In 2019, Indian-origin artist Divya Mehra, who lives in Winnipeg, was invited for her exhibition here. He studied the idol present there and informed the Indian Embassy that it was the idol of Maa Annapurna which was stolen from the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi in 1913. After the efforts of the Indian Embassy and Divya Mehra, the Canadian government handed over the statue to the Indian government. It was brought from Delhi to Kashi with a procession of five days. PM Modi had told in his Mann Ki Baat program on 29 November 2020 that the statue of Mother Annapurna has been found in Canada and is being brought back to India. About 108 years ago the idol was stolen from Kashi.
