Shrawani Mela

The “MOST” important MEGA event at Baba Baidyanath Dham is the Kanwar Yatra, since this is held during the hindi month of Shrawan (July~August) it is popularly known as Shrawani Mela, as estimated 5 million devotees throng Baba Baidyanath Temple during this one month alone.

The importance of Babadham increases manifold during the month of Shrawan. During this period, lakhs of devotees from all corners of the country and also abroad, throng the Baba Baidyanath temple. Most of them first visit Sultanganj, which is 105 km from Babadham. In Sultanganj, the Ganges flows to the North. It is from this place that the devotees collect water in their kanwars (small water pots slung across the ends of a bamboo pole to be carried on shoulders) and carry the holy Ganges water, with the kanwars on their shoulders. They walk 105 km barefoot up to Baba Baidyanath temple at Babadham all along their way the chant of Bol Bam reverberates the heavens. On reaching Babadham, the kanwarias first take a dip in the holy Shivaganga (a pond next to Baba Baidyanath Temple) to purify themselves, and then enter the Baba Baidyanath temple, where the Ganges water is offered to the Jyotirlinga.

Undertaking this arduous Kanwar Yatra takes more than just devotion, its takes time and a lot of it, and endurance that the fittest can handle.

As per mythology Lord Rama in Treta yuga was the first kanwaria to offer Sacred Ganga Jal on Shivalinga. Kanwar Yatra involves carrying holy water from Sultanganj in Bihar (India), trekking down barefoot over 100 kms., following all rules of austerity and offering the same upon Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlingam in Jharkhand (India).

It is believed that undertaking a Kanwar Yatra yields the same results as that of a ‘Ashwa Megha Yagna’, the devotee is absolved of all sins in this, as well as past life, and attains moksha.