VARANASI/PRAYAGRAJ, Aug. 25 -- Thousands of devotees thronged prominent Shiva temples in Varanasi, Prayagraj, Mathura, Barabanki and other districts of the state on the last Monday of the Sawan month, braving heavy rain in some areas. Special rituals, 'Jalabhishek,' and elaborate security arrangements marked the occasion. In Varanasi, the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple witnessed a heavy rush of devotees from early morning. Soon after the temple opened its doors following the Mangala Aarti, Kanwariyas and other devotees began offering water to Baba Vishwanath. The temple administration said devotees were welcomed with a shower of rose petals. Around one lakh devotees offered prayers and darshan at the temple by 7 am, according to the administration. Zig-zag barricading was put in place to regulate the crowd, while arrangements for shade, drinking water, medical camps, and a lost-and-found centre were made for devotees. In Prayagraj, more than seven lakh devotees offered 'Jalabhishek' to Lord Shiva at temples across the district during the day, according to a state government spokesperson. Officials estimate that more than 37 lakh devotees have performed 'Jalabhishek' in the district during the Sawan month so far. From the early hours, devotees carrying 'Gangajal,' milk, 'Belpatra,' flowers, and other offerings queued outside major Shiva temples. Large numbers of Kanwariyas collected holy water from the Ganga and the Sangam. Shridharanand Brahmachari, chief administrator of Mankameshwar temple in Sangam area, said interval-based estimates through CCTV cameras showed that more than 2.5 lakh devotees visited the temple on the final Sawan Monday alone. According to him, between 15 lakh and 17 lakh devotees visited the temple during the month so far. Temple authorities at other major shrines also reported unprecedented footfall. Estimates indicate that Padila Mahadev temple (Phaphamau) received 11 lakh devotees, while 4 lakh devotees have visited Someshwar Mahadev Temple (Arail), 3.5 lakh visited Hanumat Niketan (Civil Lines), 2 lakh offered prayers at Brahmeshwar Mahadev temple, and 1.25 lakh devotees visited Koteshwar Mahadev temple (Shivkuti) so far. Several permanent ghats along the Ganga and the Sangam remain submerged, prompting the administration to implement special measures for pilgrims taking ritual baths before visiting temples. Brajesh Kumar Tiwari, in charge of the NDRF unit in Prayagraj, said teams had been deployed at various locations to avert any mishap. "Our 30-member team is on alert and is ready to deal with any disaster-related incident," he added. In Mathura, long queues formed outside major Shiva temples despite heavy rain. In Barabanki, a massive gathering of devotees was witnessed at the famous Lodheswar Mahadeva pilgrimage centre....