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The world famous historical State Shravani Fair in Deoghar, Jharkhand has been successfully completed this year with its traditional and spiritual enthusiasm. With the conclusion of the fair, the much awaited arrangement of Sparsh Puja for the devotees in the sanctum sanctorum of Baba Baidyanath Dham has been started again, due to which tremendous enthusiasm is being seen among the Shiva devotees coming from all over the country. During this holy royal ritual which lasted for an entire month, despite the difficult weather, rain and huge crowd, there was no diminution in the immense faith of Shiva devotees. During this entire season of Shravani Mela, statistics show that more than 60 lakh Shiva devotees from different corners of the country and the world offered water to the holy Shivalinga, sought their wishes and received the blessings of Baba. This time, the fair was conducted very smoothly with the mutual coordination of the District Administration, Temple Management Board and various voluntary organizations, due to which lakhs of devotees got the rare opportunity to have darshan of Lord Bholenath with ease.
Shravani fair of Baba Baidyanath Dham with historical and mythological importance
The State Shravani Fair, organized on the holy land of Deoghar in the holy month of Sawan, is not just a religious event, but it is a living symbol of Sanatan culture, unwavering faith and cultural unity. Every year in the month of Sawan, crores of Kanwariyas and devotees reach the court of Baba Baidyanath, established as Manokamna Linga, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of the country. This time the nature of the fair was very special because the Jharkhand government and the district administration had made elaborate arrangements for the safety, health facilities, drinking water and accommodation of the devotees. After completing the arduous Kanwar Yatra of about 105 kilometers by filling the sacred water of Uttar Vahini Ganga from Sultanganj, Shiv devotees reach Deoghar to offer water to Baba Baidyanath. Bhandaras and rest houses were built at various places to serve the devotees walking barefoot on this difficult route, which made the entire journey more accessible and memorable.
After the completion of the fair, Sparsh Puja started again in the sanctum sanctorum.
Keeping in mind the huge crowd and strict security standards during the Shravani fair, the temple administration had temporarily banned Sparsh Puja inside the sanctum sanctorum, so that all the devotees could easily offer water through Argha in a short time. With the official conclusion of the fair, the doors of the sanctum sanctorum have started operating under normal rules and the devotees are once again getting the privilege of direct touch, darshan and worship of Baba Baidyanath. As soon as the news of the resumption of Sparsh Puja spread, there was a wave of happiness among the local Panda community in Deoghar and the devotees coming from far away places. The temple management believes that with the start of Sparsh Puja, devotees will be able to worship Lord Shiva peacefully in the coming days like normal days and the spiritual experience inside the sanctum sanctorum will become deeper.
Record 60 lakh devotees offered water with security, ease and better management
The biggest attraction of this year’s Government Shravani Mela was that with the use of administrative wisdom and modern technology, a record number of more than 60 lakh devotees offered water in a safe and peaceful manner. The crowd was being continuously monitored by the district administration through Artificial Intelligence and CCTV cameras, due to which any kind of stampede or inconvenience situation could be completely avoided. Medical camps and ambulances were deployed at various places by the Health Department, so that devotees who fell ill due to change in weather or long queues could get immediate first aid. Despite such a huge crowd, due to extensive arrangements for drinking water and sanitation, the fair area of Deoghar looked completely organized and clean, which was appreciated wholeheartedly by the saints and tourists coming from all over the country.
Local economy and tourism got a new wing
This entire month of Shravani fair brings a huge opportunity of economic prosperity for Deoghar and surrounding districts, with the business of local shopkeepers, hoteliers, transport operators and handicraft artisans at its peak. Peda industry, which is the special identity of Deoghar, created new sales records this year and the offerings of Baba Nagari reached every corner of the country. Hotels and homestays remained fully booked and people involved in transport services also got excellent employment opportunities from this historic event. This time, cultural programs and religious events were also organized on a grand scale by the Jharkhand government, which along with promoting religious tourism, also gave a new identity to the local folk art and culture at the national level.
Preparations for the future and unique memories of pleasant experiences of Kanwar Yatra.
With the conclusion of the Shravani Fair, the process of reviewing and preparing a new outline for the event to be held next year has started in Deoghar, so that the arrangements can be made more advanced in future. Although this sacred land resonating with the slogans of Bol Bam is becoming quiet for some time now, but the memories of this journey will always remain fresh in the hearts of millions of Kanwariyas. This Mahakumbh of Shiva devotees wearing saffron clothes, crossing difficult paths, once again proved how deep and strong are the roots of faith in India’s eternal culture. The devotees are returning to their homes with the wish that the wishes of every devotee who bows down in the court of Baba Baidyanath should be fulfilled and this holy city should always remain drenched with spiritual energy.