By Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur: The renowned Shrawani Mela officially commenced today with a grand inauguration ceremony at Sidhi Ghat in Sultanganj. The event was inaugurated by Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, Smarat Choudhury. Joining him were Vijay Kumar Sinha, also Deputy Chief Minister, Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, Minister for Revenue and Land Reforms, and Lalit Kumar Mandal, Sultanganj MLA.
Amidst the chanting of mantras, the dignitaries jointly lit a traditional lamp to mark the beginning of the month-long mela. In their speeches, the deputy chief ministers highlighted the additional measures taken to ensure a hassle-free pilgrimage for the devotees. They assured all possible facilities for pilgrims during their journey.
Every year during Shrawani Mela, a large number of pilgrims walk approximately 104 kilometers to the Baidyanathdham temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand, to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva. Pilgrims typically fetch holy water from the Ganga and perform puja at the Ajgaybinath temple in Sultanganj before starting their trek to Baidyanathdham.
With mild rain creating favorable weather conditions, it is anticipated that the daily footfall of pilgrims arriving at Sultanganj will be higher this year compared to previous years. Mela arrangements at Sultanganj and along the pilgrim route have been enhanced to accommodate the expected increased turnout. The route passes through Banka, Munger, and Bhagalpur districts in Bihar.
Special arrangements have been made by the local administration for the convenience of pilgrims at Sultanganj. Safety measures include the installation of nets at Sidhi Ghat and Jahaj Ghat after barricading, and the use of drone cameras for proper surveillance of the mela area. Separate entry and exit gates have been established at the ghats for crowd management. A tent city with a capacity to accommodate 200 pilgrims and seating arrangements for 5,000 people have been set up at Jahaj Ghat.
In coordination with the railways, the local administration has decided to estimate the likely daily arrival of pilgrims for effective crowd management at Sultanganj. A Shrawani Mela app has been launched by the district administration, allowing pilgrims to register themselves and access information about mela facilities and their locations.
Earlier at the function, District Magistrate Dr. Nawal Kishore Choudhury welcomed the dignitaries present on the occasion.
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The author is Bhagalpur based journalist
