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Deoghar Shrawani Mela begins after two-year gap
The month-long Mela in temple town Deoghar is one of the biggest congregation of devotees in eastern India.
The famous Shrawani Mela was formally inaugurated on Wednesday, throwing open the Kanwariya Path that would be used by the devotees from Thursday to trek with Ganga water lifted at Sultanganj in Bihar and offer it at Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar.
The function to officially launch the month-long Mela was held at Dumma, the border of Jharkhand and Bihar in Deoghar district.
Jharkhand agriculture minister Badal Patralekh and Godda MP Nishikant Dubey did the honours.
“The state government led by the chief minister would make all possible efforts to welcome and make the experience of devotees comfortable. There is a need for state and district administration to work in cooperation with the devotees and other stakeholders because event of such a scale can’t be successful without people’s participation,” said Patralekh.
The month-long Mela in temple town Deoghar is one of the biggest congregation of devotees in eastern India. During the period, Baba Baidyanath Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country, sees an average daily footfall of around 70,000 devotees.
Devotees lift Ganga water from Sultanganj, where the river flows in north direction, and carry it on foot, trekking 112 kilometres on Kanwariya Path to the temple.
“On Mondays, the number swells to over a lakh. This year, we can’t rule out bigger numbers as the congregation was not held for last two years due to Covid-19,” said an official.
Officials said that as part of security arrangements, 21 temporary police stations and 11 temporary traffic police stations have been put in place. A hall has also been made for lodging devotees, which has a capacity of hosting 10,000 people, officials said.
