Over 1 Million Devotees Offer Jal at Baba Baidyanath Dham in First Week of Shravani Mela

Deoghar: More than one million devotees offered holy water at Baba Baidyanath Dham during the first week of the State Shravani Mela 2026. Between July 30 and August 4, a total of 1,005,885 pilgrims performed Jal Arpan, including 23,130 devotees who availed themselves of the Sheeghra Darshan coupon facility. The figures were shared during a weekly press briefing jointly addressed by Deputy Commissioner Saurabh Kumar Bhuvaniya and Superintendent of Police Praveen Pushkar at the temporary media centre in R.L. Sarraf on Thursday.The Deputy Commissioner said the Baba Baidyanath Temple generated a total revenue of ?8.685 million between July 30 and August 4, including income from various temple sources. Revenue from the Sheeghra Darshan coupon system stood at ?7.228 million, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the total. He said the administration's priority is to ensure that every pilgrim visiting the holy city has a safe, well-organised and pleasant experience before returning home. He also appreciated the cooperation extended by the media and all government departments in the successful conduct of the fair.
To maintain law and order, 597 magistrates and administrative officers, along with 6,763 police personnel, have been deployed across the fair area. The security setup has been further strengthened with four Superintendents of Police, three CRPF companies, and teams from the NDRF and SDRF. Surveillance is being carried out through 925 CCTV cameras, 225 AI-enabled cameras and five drones. A total of 65 complaints received through the QR code-based online grievance system have been resolved.Accommodation has been arranged at 77 locations for pilgrims. Three tent cities provide a combined capacity of 2,750 beds, while the Adhyatmik Bhavan can accommodate another 700 devotees. The Health Department has established 35 temporary medical centres, where 33,224 patients have been treated so far. Medical services are being provided by 111 doctors, 470 paramedical staff, 16 general ambulances, 24 emergency ambulances and six support vehicles.
The Information and Public Relations Department has set up 34 information centres across the mela area. A total of 15,549 lost-and-found cases have been registered, of which 10,242 pilgrims have been reunited with their families. Visitors are also being attracted to the themed exhibition at Shivlok Complex, featuring replicas inspired by the Amarnath Cave and Srikalahasti Temple, along with a water projection and laser show, virtual reality experiences and LED-based presentations showcasing the mythology of Baba Baidyanath.
The Drinking Water and Sanitation Department has installed 48 bathing facilities, 323 toilets, 16 mist showers, 76 hand pumps and nine drinking water kiosks. The Municipal Corporation has collected more than ?10.65 million in revenue up to August 5, while the Electricity Department has earned ?2.941 million through temporary power connections and established 39 control centres along with emergency response teams.
Officials said a much larger influx of pilgrims is expected during the remaining three Mondays of the holy month of Shravan. Keeping this in view, the district administration and police have further strengthened arrangements related to security, traffic management, healthcare, accommodation and other essential services.Superintendent of Police Praveen Pushkar said 21 temporary police outposts and 13 traffic outposts have been established for the mela. Additional deployment includes ATS personnel, Rapid Action Force, Bomb Disposal Squad, Dog Squad, Quick Response Teams and a large number of police officers and security personnel. Several lost mobile phones have been recovered from the temple premises, and a number of pickpockets have been arrested.The press briefing was also attended by Deputy Development Commissioner Piyush Sinha, Municipal Commissioner Sulochana Meena, Sub-Divisional Officer and Temple In-charge Ravi Kumar, along with officials from various departments and representatives of the media.

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