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A very sacred, encouraging and the biggest news of this time is coming out for crores of devotees of Lord Shiva and Kanwariyas present in every corner of the country. The countdown of the world famous historical ‘Shravani Mela’ of Bihar, which is said to be the biggest flood of faith and devotion, has completely started and this grand fair is about to begin. In the holy month of Sawan, the Tourism Department of Bihar Government and the local administration have started preparations with full force to welcome the Kanwariyas who go towards Deoghar (Babadham) after filling the water from the Ganga, the northern channel of Sultanganj. A devotional atmosphere has started developing on the entire Kanwaria Path from Sultanganj. Compared to every year, this time’s Shravani Fair is going to be very modern, safe and unique, for which huge enthusiasm is being seen among Shiva devotees. Let us take a closer look from the perspective of a ground reporter, what major arrangements have been made by the Tourism Department for the comfort of Kanwariyas this time and what new and different will be seen in this fair.
The entire Kanwariya path from Sultanganj to Deoghar became hi-tech, Ganga ghats were rejuvenated.
The Shravani fair starts from Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district, from where lakhs of Kanwariyas collect the sacred Ganga water. This time the Tourism Department has completely rejuvenated all the Ganga ghats of Sultanganj. Along with strong security arrangements at the ghats, modern changing rooms for changing clothes of Kanwariyas, provision of pure drinking water and medical camps working round the clock are being established. The quality of sand laid on the entire 105 km long Kanwariya Path has been further improved this time so that the devotees of Shiva who walk barefoot in the scorching heat and sun do not get blisters on their feet. Along with this, illuminated street lights and high-definition CCTV cameras have been installed along the entire route to ensure fool-proof security.
What is different this time? Luxurious facilities will be available in tent city and cultural laser show will be seen.
The biggest attraction of this time’s Shravani Fair is going to be the modern and grand ‘Tent City’ being built by the Tourism Department. Construction of huge and waterproof tent cities is continuing on a war footing at many places along the way for the Kanwariyas to stay, rest and eat. Within these tent cities, Kanwariyas will get absolutely free community kitchen, beds, clean toilets and first aid facilities. Apart from this, grand cultural programs and ‘3D Laser Show’ depicting Shiva saga will be organized at the main stops to relieve the fatigue of the Kanwariyas in the evening and to connect them with spirituality, which had never happened before. To promote Digital India, this time a special ‘Kanwariya App’ is also being launched, through which devotees will be able to easily track the live location of hospitals, police stations and rest homes on the way.
Impenetrable maze built for health and safety, police will be deployed in large numbers
In view of the huge crowd of lakhs and crores, Bihar Police and Health Department have prepared an impenetrable maze of security and health. Temporary government dispensaries and ambulances are being deployed every two kilometers on the Kanwaria Path, where experienced doctors and life-saving medicines will be available all the time. On the security front, heavy deployment of Bihar Police personnel along with Rapid Action Force (RAF) and plainclothes women police personnel is being done to keep a close watch on anti-social elements taking advantage of the crowd to snatch or steal. By dividing the entire fair area into different zones and sectors, senior administrative officers have been made nodal officers so that immediate action can be taken in case of any emergency.
In view of the huge crowd of passengers, dozens of special trains will run, transport department is also ready
East Central Railway (ECR) has also geared up to facilitate the devotees coming from all over the country and the world during the Shravani Fair. It has been decided to run dozens of ‘Shravani Mela Special Trains’ from different states for Sultanganj, Jasidih and Deoghar stations, the timetable of which will be released officially very soon. Additional ticket counters and large holding areas are being built at railway stations for Kanwariyas to stay. At the same time, hundreds of additional buses will be run by Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) for Sultanganj and its surrounding areas so that the devotees do not face any problem in reaching their destination after deboarding the trains. Overall, this time Shravani Mela is going to be a unique confluence of faith, technology and excellent administrative management.