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Himachal: Month-long Chaitra fair begins in Hamirpur's Deotsidh
Deputy commissioner Debasweta Banik declared the fair open and performed a “puja” at the shrine. She was accompanied by other senior district officials and unfurled a red flag atop the temple.
The month-long Chaitra fair started at the historic Baba Balak Nath shrine at Deotsidh in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district with a large number of people turning up to pay their obeisance on Sunday.
The fair was stopped midway last year to check the spread of coronavirus.
Deputy commissioner Debasweta Banik declared the fair open and performed a “puja” at the shrine. She was accompanied by other senior district officials and unfurled a red flag atop the temple.
Mahant Rajinder Giri of the temple was also present on the occasion.
Chanting religious hymns, thousands of devotees offered foodgrain, cash and ghee on the occasion.
Women paid their respects to Baba Balak Nath from a platform raised for them and men were allowed to go to the holy cave to offer prayers.
The deputy commissioner said necessary arrangements have been made for smooth “darshans” at the shrine as lakhs of people from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh are expected to visit the place.
“There are eight inns in the temple's vicinity, more or less adequate to accommodate the pilgrims. Over a million pilgrims from Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and abroad are expected to visit the temple during the fair,” she said.
The temple will remain open round the clock till the ending of the fair, the deputy commissioner said.
