Shravani Mela, one of the largest religious congregations in the country’s eastern region, was inaugurated in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district on Monday. State Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh inaugurated the fair at Kanwariyapath in Dumma, bordering Bihar.
Usually, the mela is organised for a month during the month of ‘Shravan’, according to the Saka Calendar. This year, the fair will be organised for two consecutive months from July 3 to August 31.
”After 19 years, this is for the first time when there will be eight Mondays during Shravani fair,” said Deoghar deputy commissioner (DC), Manjunath Bhajantri. Devotees from various parts of the country and abroad visit Deoghar during the month of ‘Shravan’ and offer prayers at Baba Baidyanath Dham temple. ‘Kanwariyas’ start their 105-km journey on foot to Deoghar after taking a holy dip in the Ganga in Bihar’s Sultanganj. The journey ends with the pilgrims pouring the holy water on the ‘shivalingam’ at the Baba Baidyanath Dham temple. Speaking at the inaugural function, Patralekh said that Deoghar is ready to welcome ‘Kawanriyas’ (pilgrims who walk barefoot to Deoghar to pour the water on the shivling chanting ‘Bol Bam’).
”This year, the number of devotees may double compared to previous years. The government as well as the Deoghar administration has made proper arrangements for the pilgrims,” he said. Patralekh said that the Jharkhand government has been working on how to make the arrangements at the fair even better. On average, over 35 lakh devotees visit the fair every year. Two states—Jharkhand and Bihar— work in coordination to make the event a success, an official said. The Deoghar administration has made elaborate preparations ranging from crowd management to lodging facilities for devotees. Drinking water, toilets, electricity, cleanliness, and other facilities have been made for the pilgrims, the official said. ”Out-of-turn darshan for VIPs will be closed during the Shravani Mela, according to directives from the state government,” he said. As many as 27 police outposts have been set up for better crowd management . CCTV cameras and drones would also be used to enhance security and monitor anti-social elements effectively, the DC said.
