Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday inaugurated online darshan of Shrawani Mela at Baijnath Dham Temple in Deoghar and also offered jalabhishek to the jyotirlingam at the temple. The CM is currently at Dumka on his six-day Divisional tour planned to sense the nerves of people through media interactions in the five Divisions of Jharkhand. Soren, returned to Dumka after offering prayers for over an hour in Deoghar.
The age-old Shrawani Mela is now a click away from the people sitting at their home which has been made available who for those who cannot make it to Deoghar. “The CCTVs installed in the temple premises have been connected to the internet to facilitate the people across the world by visiting the site online,” said Deoghar DC Ameet Kumar.
The link of the website has been linked with four locations — Baba temple, Parvati Temple, Sanskar Mandap along with the temple premises, said DPRO Deoghar. “The four locations have been connected to the Internet which is being Webcast across the world through the site www.babadham.org,” said DPRO, Deoghar.
Before Soren visiting the temple, Chief Secretary Sajal Chakraverty alongwith DGP Rajiv Kumar reviewed the arrangements made for the devotees during the Shravani Mela.
Both them expressed satisfaction over the facilities being provided to the devotees made by the district administration during the holy month of Shravan. Thousands of devotees throng to the babadham temple to offer holy water taken from Sultanganj with the kanwars on their shoulders. They walk 109 km up to Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar reciting Bol Bam on the way.
On reaching Babadham, the kanwarias first take a dip in the Shivaganga to purify them, and then enter the Baba Baidyanath temple, where the Ganges water is offered to the Jyotirlingam.
This pilgrimage continues during the month of Shravan for 30 days during the month of July-August. This is said to be one of the longest religious fair in the world. People from foreign lands also visit Babadham not only during Shrawan month but also during the rest of the year. According to an official estimate, over 50–55 lakhs devotees visit Babadham within the month of Shravan.