Muzaffarpur’s Baba Garibnath Dham witnessed a large gathering of devotees on the fourth Monday of Sawan, with approximately 1.5 lakh devotees reported to have arrived so far. The process of offering water to the Shivling began after special prayers and the Mangala Aarti on Monday morning. Long queues formed around the temple as devotees and Kanwariyas waited for darshan and Jalabhishek.
Devotees began arriving around the temple late Sunday night, and the number increased steadily through Monday morning. Many Kanwariyas carried water in their Kanwars and offered Gangajal, milk, belpatra, flowers and other puja materials to Baba Garibnath. After performing the rituals, devotees prayed for family prosperity, good health and fulfilment of their wishes.
The temple premises and Kanwariya route remained filled with chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bol Bam”. Groups of Kanwariyas included women, young people and elderly devotees. Many devotees had travelled on foot from places including Pahleja Ghat and other locations before offering water at the Baba Garibnath temple.
The district administration and temple management arranged barricading and queue systems to regulate the crowd. Separate arrangements were made for entry and exit, while police and administrative teams monitored the temple premises, Kanwariya route, major intersections and parking areas. Police personnel were deployed along the Kanwariya route, and devotees were being moved through separate queues as the crowd increased.
Helicopter flower showers have also been arranged at Baba Garibnath Dham during Sawan. Flower showers were conducted on the second and third Mondays, and preparations were made for the fourth Monday as well. During the flower shower on the third Monday morning, the temple premises echoed with chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bol Bam”.
The district administration increased security around Baba Garibnath Dham and the relevant area in view of the helicopter flower shower. From the morning of August 23 until the evening of August 24, the designated area and a five-kilometre radius around it were declared a red zone and no-drone zone. The use of drones and hot-air balloons was prohibited during this period.
Officials were instructed to maintain orderly movement of devotees on the temple premises and Kanwariya route and prevent excessive crowd pressure at any location. Special attention was also given to the safety of devotees during the helicopter flower shower.
During the Shravan Mela, multiple arrangements have been made for devotees visiting Baba Garibnath Dham. Police and administrative teams remained active at the temple and along the routes, while barricades were used to maintain queues. Medical and emergency services were also kept operational to provide immediate assistance if required.
Local residents and volunteers arranged water, sherbet and other facilities for Kanwariyas at several locations. Shops selling flowers, belpatra, milk, prasad and other puja materials also remained busy from the morning. Shopkeepers had stocked flowers, belpatra and other materials in advance for the Sawan Monday.
The administration appealed for special caution around elderly people, women and children and sought to ensure that devotees could perform Jalabhishek without pushing or inconvenience. Families and devotees from Muzaffarpur and neighbouring districts also arrived, with many reaching the city on Sunday night to perform Jalabhishek on Monday morning.
On the second Monday of Sawan, approximately 1.4 lakh litres of water had reportedly been used for Jalabhishek at Baba Garibnath temple. The crowd of Kanwariyas had started increasing from Sunday, and the Jalabhishek continued through Monday. Helicopter flower showers were also conducted at Baba Garibnath Dham for the first time on that occasion.
Flower showers were conducted by helicopter again on the third Monday, while the administration reviewed arrangements throughout the night at the temple premises and along the Kanwariya route to facilitate safe and orderly Jalabhishek.
On the fourth Monday, surveillance was maintained across the temple premises, Kanwariya route, major intersections and parking areas in view of the large crowd. Devotees continued to wait in queues for darshan and Jalabhishek, while the administration remained on alert for crowd management and emergency response.
The fourth Monday of Sawan brought a large number of devotees to Baba Garibnath Dham, with approximately 1.5 lakh arrivals reported so far. Jalabhishek began after the morning Aarti, while preparations for helicopter flower showers and expanded security arrangements remained in place.
