Sea of Devotion Engulfs Baba Baidyanath Dham on First Shravan Monday

Shekhar Suman 
Deoghar: A remarkable display of faith unfolded at Baba Baidyanath Dham on the eve of the first Monday of the Shravani Mela as thousands of devotees lined up overnight to offer holy water to Lord Shiva.The queue of devotees stretched nearly 3 to 4 kilometres from Shivram Jha Chowk, with pilgrims patiently waiting throughout the night for their turn. Many remained seated in the queue until the temple reopened in the early hours of Monday.According to the temple administration, the shrine reopened at 4:10 a.m., after which the Jalabhishek began. The ritual is expected to continue until late in the evening. District officials estimate that nearly 200,000 to 250,000 devotees will perform Jalabhishek on the first Shravan Monday.To ensure smooth crowd management and security, elaborate arrangements have been made across the temple premises and the entire fair area. Magistrates, police officers and additional security personnel have been deployed at strategic locations. The duty hours of police personnel have also been extended by nearly four hours to manage the unprecedented rush.A large number of pilgrims have arrived from Purnia, Chhapra, Kishanganj and Siwan in Bihar, along with devotees from several other states. Many devotees said that offering holy water on the first Monday of the holy month of Shravan holds special religious significance, making it the busiest day of the annual pilgrimage.The district administration expects the queue to grow longer as more pilgrims continue to arrive. Officials have directed all departments to remain on high alert and ensure uninterrupted arrangements for the safety and convenience of devotees.The State Shravani Mela began on July 30. With lakhs of devotees expected to visit Deoghar on the first Shravan Monday, the district administration and temple management have put comprehensive arrangements in place, including security, crowd regulation, healthcare services and other essential facilities to ensure a safe and hassle-free pilgrimage.

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