World-Famous Shravani Mela Begins in Deoghar; Lakhs of Kanwariyas Embark on 108 km Pilgrimage

Deogha – The renowned Shravani Mela kicked off on Thursday at Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Jharkhand, drawing lakhs of Kanwariyas who began their sacred 108 km barefoot pilgrimage from Sultanganj to the holy shrine.

The fair was inaugurated with Vedic rituals at Dumma, on the Jharkhand-Bihar border, by ministers Sudivya Kumar Sonu, Deepika Pandey Singh, and Sanjay Prasad Yadav.

Baba Baidyanath Dham, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, attracts millions during the month of Sawan, as devotees fetch water from the Uttarvahini Ganga in Bihar and offer it at the temple.

Considered Asia's longest religious fair, the pilgrimage commenced on Guru Purnima, with chants of "Bol Bam" resonating throughout the route.

Authorities estimate 50 to 60 lakh devotees may attend this year. To manage the crowd, the government has arranged tent cities, sanitation, medical camps, and real-time information access via QR codes and chatbot services.

All VIP darshans have been suspended, and touch worship is prohibited. Devotees must use Argha to offer water inside the temple.

With inputs from IANS