Key Points

The fair was formally inaugurated at Dumma, on the Jharkhand-Bihar border, in a traditional ceremony marked by Vedic chants.

Jharkhand ministers Sudivya Kumar Sonu, Deepika Pandey Singh, and Sanjay Prasad Yadav jointly inaugurated the event.

Baba Baidyanath Dham houses Kamna Mahadev, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, making it one of the holiest Shaivite shrines. As per custom, Kanwariyas fetch holy water from the Uttarvahini Ganga in Sultanganj, Bihar, and walk 108 km barefoot to offer it at the Deoghar shrine.

This annual religious procession is considered the longest religious fair in Asia, covering a 108 km route from Sultanganj to Deoghar.

The pilgrimage, which began on Thursday, coinciding with Guru Purnima, saw thousands of Kanwariyas filling the roads chanting "Bol Bam", creating a spiritual spectacle.

The Jharkhand government has estimated that 50 to 60 lakh devotees from across India and abroad are likely to attend the fair this year.

To manage the massive footfall, the state government has made elaborate arrangements for accommodation, safety, sanitation, and information dissemination.

Tent cities equipped with essential amenities have been established at Kothiya and Baghmara along the Deoghar-Sultanganj route, providing rest areas for thousands of pilgrims.

Facilities such as bathing rooms, toilets, medical camps, and information centres have been set up at key locations across the mela zone.

The fair has adopted a digital format, allowing devotees to access real-time information through QR codes on their mobile phones. A dedicated chatbot service is also available for assistance.

Deoghar Deputy Commissioner Naman Priyesh said that keeping in view the heavy influx of devotees, all VIP, VVIP, and out-of-turn darshan privileges have been suspended for the entire month of Sawan to ensure smooth crowd flow and fairness.

Additionally, touch worship of the Jyotirlinga is not permitted. Devotees can offer holy water through Argha -- a ritual vessel placed inside the temple to facilitate offerings.

To help pilgrims, shuttle services have been started for those arriving by bus. Holding points, clean drinking water, accommodation facilities, toilets, healthcare camps, and sanitation services are being closely monitored.

Officials, magistrates, and police personnel deployed in the area have been instructed to perform their duties.

- IANS