A significant number of devotees came together in various parts of Himachal Pradesh on the first day of 2026 to show gratitude for the past and seek blessings for the future. The Naina Devi temple in the Bilaspur district, one of North India’s busiest shrines, attracted pilgrims mainly from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi, as reported by temple officials.
Other popular shrines like Chintpurni in Una district and Jwalaji and Brajeshwari Devi temples in Kangra district also experienced a large influx of visitors. Officials at the Naina Devi shrine mentioned that they anticipate a daily footfall of 15,000 to 20,000 devotees until the weekend.
Security measures have been heightened to handle the crowds at all major shrines, confirmed a senior police official in the region. Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu have conveyed their best wishes to the public for the New Year.
