Muzaffarpur, August 3: A massive influx of devotees gathered at the renowned Baba Garibnath Temple in North Bihar on the first Monday of Sawan. Long queues formed late Sunday night as pilgrims arrived for the ritual water offering. By Monday morning, the temple complex and surrounding areas echoed with chants of “Bol Bam” and “Har-Har Mahadev.”
According to temple authorities, approximately 150,000 devotees are expected to perform the water offering by late evening. Many pilgrims are traveling on foot from the Firstaja Ghat, located about 87 kilometers away, carrying holy water from the Ganges. A significant number of Kanwariyas from various districts in Bihar and neighboring states have also arrived at the temple. To manage the crowd, a queue system has been established starting five kilometers from the temple.
By 6:30 AM on Monday, around 50,000 devotees had already completed their water offerings. The ritual, which began at 10 PM on Sunday, is anticipated to continue throughout the day. The district administration has made extensive arrangements for the safety and smooth operation of the event. A large number of police personnel, both male and female, as well as volunteers, have been deployed across the temple complex, fairgrounds, and Kanwariya paths.
The District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police are personally overseeing security arrangements. Due to the high turnout, all devotees are being guided to offer water in an orderly manner through designated channels. Chief Priest Vinay Pathak stated that the temple administration is always well-prepared for each Monday during Sawan.
He emphasized their commitment to ensuring that no devotee or Kanwariya faces any inconvenience, allowing everyone to easily offer water at Baba Garibnath’s head. By morning, it was reported that 50,000 to 60,000 devotees had completed their offerings, with expectations that the total will exceed 150,000 by evening.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kantesh Kumar Mishra confirmed that police forces are stationed at all major intersections in the city, with continuous monitoring through CCTV cameras and drones. He mentioned that special traffic management measures have been implemented, limiting the movement of regular vehicles on the Patna-Muzaffarpur National Highway while allowing emergency services to operate freely. He urged the public to disregard any rumors and assured that a cyber team is actively monitoring social media for misinformation.
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