Varanasi/Amritsar/Visakhapatnam, Jan 2 (ANI): Indians on 1st January kick started the New Year celebrations by visiting shrines to offer prayers. Long queues of faithful could be seen outside major Hindu and Sikh shrines across India. The faithful believe visits to temples on the New Year day bring prosperity, good health and peace in the family. The northern temple town of Varanasi, nestled on the banks of the holy river Ganga, woke up to holy chants by priests. The temple was teeming with the faithful since early morning. Foreign tourists, who regularly visit this temple town for solace, were spellbound by the elaborate rituals. In the northern Indian city of Amritsar, devotees were seen thronging the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs, since early morning. Many took a holy dip before taking part in the prayers. Some of the devotees said they looked forward to a drug free Punjab in 2015. Temples in Visakhapatnam in southern Andhra Pradesh witnessed large flow of devotees on the occasion of "Vaikuntha Ekadashi" which coincides with New Year. A special entrance gate is made on the occasion and devotees pray and make special offerings. In the central Ujjain city in Madhya Pradesh state, people gathered at the famous Mahakaal temple to offer special prayers. Mahakaal t
