Unyielding Tide of Faith at the Shravani Mela; 629 Dak Bam and Over 84 Thousand General Kanwarias Draw Ganga Water and Set Off for Babadham on Friday
Bhagalpur/Sultanganj, Office Correspondent: During the world-famous holy Shravani Mela, the sacred land of the Uttarvahini Ganga coast in Sultanganj is currently witnessing an unprecedented confluence of devotion, spiritual discipline, and surrender. The entire mela region echoes with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bol Bam' driven by the influx of Shiva devotees arriving from every corner of the country. In this sequence, highly significant and encouraging figures have emerged from the pilgrimage zone. Amidst stringent security and administrative arrangements on Friday, a total of 629 Dak Bam (who undertake the arduous and high-speed pilgrimage without stopping) took a holy dip in the sacred Uttarvahini Ganges and, following formal rituals, departed with Ganga water for Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar. Alongside them, a massive volume of general kanwarias was registered on this day, illustrating that devotion to Lord Shiva reaches its absolute zenith during the season of Sawan.
Special Departure of Dak Bam: Comprising 612 Men and 17 Women
The 'Dak Bam' journey is regarded as the most rigorous and daring religious pilgrimage of the Shravani Mela, wherein kanwarias cover the approximately 105-kilometer distance from Sultanganj to Deoghar within 24 to 30 hours by running or fast-paced walking without taking any rest breaks:
Breakdown of Figures: This special contingent of 629 Dak Bam departing on Friday comprised 612 men and 17 women. The participation of such a notable number of women in the rigorous and fast-paced Dak Bam pilgrimage proves that the faith and resilience of feminine power are truly peerless in modern times.
Vows and Disciplined Rules: These Dak Bam took a solemn vow at the riverbank that they would not rest anywhere along the route and would complete their journey only after offering water directly to Baba Baidyanath. Witnessing their steadfast resolve left fellow pilgrims present at the ghat spellbound.
84,014 General Kanwarias Also Draw Water, Unleashing a Tide of Devotion
Not just the Dak Bam, but the sheer count of general kanwarias on this day approached record-breaking levels:
A Massive Sea of Humanity: According to data compiled by the administration and temple trust committees, the total number of general kanwarias who drew water at the Sultanganj Ganga coast on Friday touched approximately 84,014.
Drawing Ganga Water from Ajgabinath Dham: Since the early morning hours, the unpaved and paved kanwaria pathways were awash exclusively in saffron-clad Shiva devotees. Reaching from distant states including Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and various parts of South India, pilgrims cleansed themselves in the Uttarvahini Ganges, filled water into their kanwars, and commenced their journeys echoing chants of 'Bol Bam'.
Administrative Vigilance and Strict Security Arrangements
To ensure the safe passage of the surging crowds and particularly the high-speed transit of the Dak Bam, the district administration remained fully mobilized:
Special Monitoring Along the Kanwaria Route: Foolproof security measures have been deployed along the kanwaria path by the Bhagalpur and Banka district administrations. Given that Dak Bam travel at high speeds, police forces and volunteers were stationed at regular intervals to regulate traffic and spare them from any logistical inconvenience.
Health and Medical Facilities: All medical camps situated along the route were placed on high alert to ensure that running Dak Bam or exhausted kanwarias could instantly receive primary care, ORS, and medical assistance.
The departure of 629 Dak Bam (612 men and 17 women) from Sultanganj to Deoghar and the drawing of Ganga water by over 84 thousand general kanwarias on Friday stands as absolute testimony that the Shravani Mela has reached its peak splendor. This unwavering faith and rigorous penstance of Shiva devotees continue to imbue the entire pilgrimage sector with otherworldly and spiritual energy.
