Vermilion Prayers Offered to Lord Bhairav for the Success of Operation Sindoor
Varanasi (UP), May 10 — In the midst of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, Varanasi witnessed a surge in symbolic and nationalistic expressions on Saturday. Posters portraying Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a lion and his Pakistani counterpart Shahbaz Sharif as a jackal have been prominently displayed in the Bhojubeer and Shivpur areas of the city.These visuals, bearing the Hindi caption “Sher, sher hota hai; geedad, geedad hota hai” (a lion is a lion whereas a jackal is a jackal), have been put up by social worker Abhishek Upadhyay. Speaking on the intent behind the posters, Upadhyay stated, “This is a message to Pakistan, to show that those who promote terrorism in India must understand that Prime Minister Modi is a lion. If the lion awakens, these jackals will be wiped out.”
The move comes amid national outrage over the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 25 tourists were brutally killed from point-blank range in front of their families. A local resident also lost his life in the assault, which has since led to a sharp uptick in military actions under India's Operation Sindoor.
Religious Offerings for Military Success
Adding to the fervor, devotees in Varanasi performed a ritual at the Kajjakpura temple, applying vermilion to the idol of Lord Bhairav as a symbolic gesture of strength and protection. The prayers aimed to ensure the success of Operation Sindoor, India’s ongoing military response to cross-border terrorism.Shivam Agrahari, district coordinator of the Namami Gange Ganga Vichar Manch, explained, “We offered prayers by applying vermilion to Baba Bhairav. Women carried images of Rafale fighter jets and the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, praying for the triumph of our forces and the might of our soldiers.”
The gathering also reverberated with patriotic chants, including ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Aatankvad Murdabad’, and ‘Pakistan Murdabad’, echoing the sentiments of a city deeply intertwined with national pride.
Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Modi, has historically played a symbolic role during times of national crisis, with its spiritual and political significance coming to the fore once again.
