Month-long Shravani Mela starts in Jharkhand's Deoghar

    Deoghar (Jharkhand), Jul 21 (PTI) Shravani Mela, one of India's biggest annual fairs, commenced in Jharkhand's Deoghar district on Sunday amid tight security.
    State Agriculture Minister Dipika Pandey Singh and Drinking and Sanitation Department Minister Mithilesh Thakur performed rituals to inaugurate the fair at Dumma at the state's border with Bihar.
    The state government has made elaborate arrangements for Jharkhand's biggest socio-religious event where more than 35 lakh devotees from across the country and abroad visit during the holy month of Shravan every year.
    Thousands of devotees embark on the 105-km journey from Sultanganj in Bihar to Baidyanath Temple in Jharkhand for offering holy water of Ganga River to the Jyotirlingam in Deoghar during the holy month.
    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday took stock of the preparations for the fair in Deoghar.
    The CM directed the officials that convenience, security, cleanliness and hospitality should be the basic spirit of the fair so that devotees coming from across India and abroad should return with good memories.
    He said all facilities such as drinking water, accommodation, toilet, health, parking, electricity and information system should be in place during the fair.
    An official in the Deoghar administration said that all facilities have been made for kanwariyas along the route from Sultanganj to Deoghar.
    State health department officials said an adequate number of doctors, health workers, paramedical staffers and ambulances will be deployed at the fair.
    Elaborate security arrangements have been ensured and CCTV cameras have been put up at strategic points. Besides, drone cameras will also be used for crowd management, an official said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)