Bihar: Devotees throng temples on first day of Shrawan

PATNA: The holy month of Shrawan began with religious fervour and gaiety on Thursday, amid chanting of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and ‘Jai Bholenaath’ in and around the temples, where devotees started arriving since morning for offering prayers to the Lord Shiva and the Goddess Parvati across the state.
Meanwhile, the mega function of Shrawani Mela 2022 was inaugurated by deputy chief minister Tarkishore Prasad at Sahebganj in Bhagalpur, the place from where kanwariyas would collect the holy Ganga water and walk on the further journey to offer prayers to Lord Shiva at the famous Deoghar temple in Jharkhand.
Speaking on the occasion, minister of road construction department, Nitin Nabin said the Agwani bridge in Bhagalpur would be complete before commencement of the next kanwar yatra. He said a 3km-long approach path from Sultanganj river front to Agwani ghat would also be ready by then.
Nabin said, "In view the 8km-long journey by devotees on the Kanwariya Path, directions have been issued to keep it moist by sprinkling water on regular interval. The entire stretch has been divided into eight zones and engineers have been deputed along the route for monitoring basic facilities. Any lapse or complain of neglect of facilities to devotees would be dealt with sternly.” He also referred to other facilities provided by different government departments for undertaking the pilgrimage this Shrawan.
Health minister Mangal Pandey said the state government would regularly monitor all the health facilities for devotees on the Kanwariya Path. “Temporary health camps have been set up at Banka, Munger and Bhagalpur with doctors, paramedics, medicines and ambulances, with both advance and basic life support systems and these would remain functional till the end of Shrawan on August 12,” he said. He said a control room at the state health department was working 24x7 to monitor these services. All medical and other staff deputed at these camps have also been provided rain coats to protect themselves from rain.
In Patna, a large number of devotees including youths began their day with taking holy dip in the Ganga at different ghats before offering prayers to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
The temples also witnessed streams of devotees, mostly women, performing puja according to the religious traditions to please the god and seek his blessings for fulfillment of their wishes. Rudrabhishek and Mahamrityunjay were also performed at different Shiva temples for seeking the divine blessings.