The Shravan Mela at Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Jharkhand, has entered its final phase, but the number of devotees visiting the shrine has remained high. On the fourth Monday of Shravan, the combination of Shiva, Shravan and Monday drew large numbers of Kanwariyas and devotees to Deoghar for the water offering at the Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga. According to a Jagran report, more than two lakh Kanwariyas reached Babadhā m on the occasion of the fourth Monday.
The number of Kanwariyas in Deoghar began rising rapidly from Sunday ahead of the fourth Monday. Devotees carrying Kanwars and Ganga water continued to move towards Baba Baidyanath Temple while chanting religious slogans. Large crowds were seen across the city, the temple complex and surrounding areas.
The Deoghar district administration has made arrangements for crowd management and devotee facilities during the mela. According to official information from the district administration, the Shravan Mela continues throughout the month of Shravan and lakhs of devotees visit Baba Baidyanath Temple during this period. Kanwariyas collect Ganga water from Sultanganj and undertake a walking journey of around 109 kilometres to reach Babadhām and offer the water at the Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga.
The temple area remained crowded from the morning on the fourth Monday, with groups of Kanwariyas continuously moving towards the shrine. Service camps along the route provided water, food and other essential facilities to devotees. Volunteers from various organisations also assisted the police and administration in managing arrangements for Kanwariyas.
Walking from Sultanganj to Deoghar after collecting Ganga water is an important part of the pilgrimage. According to the Deoghar district administration, the distance from Sultanganj to Babadhām is around 105 kilometres, while the total walking distance along the Kanwariya route is stated to be approximately 109 kilometres.
The administration remained alert in view of the crowd on the fourth Monday. Arrangements were made to regulate movement not only inside the temple complex but also along the Kanwariya route and entry and exit points. Devotees were moved through queues to prevent large numbers of people from gathering at a single location. For Shravan Mela 2026, the Deoghar administration has also issued several instructions related to no-entry zones, duty charts and mela arrangements.
Devotees arriving for water offering at Baba Baidyanath Temple expressed particular enthusiasm on the fourth Monday. Several Kanwariyas said they regard darshan and water offering to Baba on a Monday during Shravan as a special religious occasion. As a result, the number of devotees remained high even though the mela has entered its final phase.
Groups of Kanwariyas continued to be visible on Deoghar's roads. Devotees travelled on foot chanting the name of Baba Baidyanath, while groups also raised slogans including “Bol Bam” and “Har Har Mahadev”. Long queues of devotees along the Kanwariya route remained visible throughout the day.
The Shravan Mela attracts devotees not only from Jharkhand and Bihar but also from various states across the country. According to the Deoghar administration's website, an estimated 50 to 55 lakh pilgrims are expected to visit Babadhām during the entire month of Shravan.
The movement of devotees by rail and road also increased ahead of the fourth Monday. Earlier, arrangements had been made to operate a Shravan Mela special train between Bhagalpur and Deoghar. The train provides an additional travel option for devotees from Bhagalpur, Banka, Katoria, Chandan and several other areas to reach Deoghar.
With a large number of devotees present, security and crowd management remained key administrative priorities. Barricading and queue management were given particular attention to prevent a stampede-like situation caused by the simultaneous presence of large numbers of people inside the temple complex. Officials and security personnel were instructed to continuously monitor crowd conditions.
Religious activities around the temple also increased on Monday. Devotees performed water offerings and prayers at Baba Baidyanath Temple and prayed for the well-being and prosperity of their families. Shops selling flowers, garlands, पूजा सामग्री and prasad around the temple complex also remained active.
Preparations for Shravan Mela 2026 have continued, with arrangements for temple and entrance-gate decoration, electrical illumination, crowd control and devotee facilities determined in advance by the administration.
With the fourth Monday, the Shravan Mela is moving towards its conclusion. However, the continued high number of devotees has kept crowd-management requirements in focus. The movement of Kanwariyas is expected to continue in the coming days.
