A month-long Shravani Mela today started on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima at the centuries old historic Shiva temple at Tarakeswar in West Bengal and Baba Baidyanath Dham at Deoghar.
Even though thousands of TMC workers from different districts of west Bengal proceeded to attend the 21 July Martyrs’ Day at Dharmatala in Kolkata, many devotees from neighbouring states have started their onward journey towards Tarakeswar Shiva temple and Baba Baidyanath Dham.
In the holy month of Shravana, lakhs of devotees within the state and also from the neighbouring states, visit Tarakeshwar Shiva temple to offer holy Ganges water to lord Shiva, seeking the divine blessing. Nearly 30 lakh devotees visit the Shiva temple at Tarakeswar during the month.
The priest and temple working committee member Sayan Ganguly said, “This year, in the Shravana month, devotees will get four Mondays and five Sundays to offer holy Ganges water to lord Shiva. The temple authorities said they are well prepared to manage the massive inflow of devotees.
On the other hand, ‘Jharkhand Pravesh Dwar’ to Baba Baidyanath Dham was inaugurated on the first day of Shravani Mela by neighbouring state ministers Mithilesh Thakur and Deepika Pande Singh to welcome the devotees. The ministers also announced that a Rs 900-crore project has been taken up by the Jharkhand government to set up a special Baba Baidyanath Dham corridor for the Shravani Mela devotees, ensuring free movement of devotees, providing them civic and basic amenities.