KUMAR PRABHAT
DUMKA
The month-long State Shravani Mela Mahotsav 2026 concluded peacefully in the holy city of Baba Basukinath, witnessing a grand confluence of faith, service, and devotion. Thanks to the comprehensive preparations, robust security measures, and seamless coordination by the district administration, the massive religious congregation was successfully managed and notably recorded zero casualties this year.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Deputy Commissioner Abhijeet Sinha highlighted that this was the first time the Shravani Mela concluded with zero casualties, attributing this milestone to novel crowd management experiments and the relentless commitment of the administration. Former Rajya Sabha MP Abhay Kant Prasad praised the administrative arrangements that facilitated smooth water offerings for devotees from across the country, advising that any minor shortcomings be identified and rectified for future improvements. Zila Parishad Vice President Sudhir Mandal and Nagar Panchayat Basukinath President Veena Devi commended the collective efforts and leadership, which ensured devotees faced no hardships. In his welcome address, Sub-Divisional Officer Kaushal Kumar noted that the fair, which commenced on July 30, owed its success to active departmental synergy.
The month-long fair witnessed staggering participation, with a total of 46,95,605 devotees performing the sacred Jal-Arpan (water offering) ceremony. The pilgrims utilized various channels for the ritual, including 34,19,182 devotees through the normal route line, 11,51,069 via the eight designated Jal-Arpan counters, and 18,036 registered as Dak Bams. Furthermore, 1,07,318 pilgrims availed of the Shigra Darshanam facility for a quicker visit. To manage this immense crowd, the administration deployed medical teams, NDRF personnel at the Shivganga, and maintained continuous monitoring of electricity, drinking water, and sanitation. A notable success of the active information assistance centers was the reuniting of 21,763 lost individuals with their families.
The grand religious event also generated substantial revenue for the Baba Basukinath Temple, amounting to a total recorded income of Rs 6,04,92,417 across all categories. The highest revenue contribution came from the 1,07,318 Shigra Darshanam coupons, which accumulated Rs 5,36,59,000. Additional monetary contributions included Rs 42,69,190 from the donation boxes, Rs 22,69,505 from the Golak, Rs 2,92,972 from other miscellaneous sources, and Rs 1,750 from cloth sales. The temple also received precious metal offerings, collecting 8,159 grams of silver and 15 grams of gold during the festival period. The closing ceremony wrapped up with the felicitation of officials, personnel, and local contributors for their outstanding service during the fair.
