Bhadrak, July 20 (UDN): The holy town of Aradi Dham witnessed a grand gathering of devotees on the first Monday of Shravan, as thousands of Kanwariyas arrived to offer prayers and perform Jalabhishek at the Baba Akhandalamani Temple.
More than 15,000 devotees from different parts of Odisha gathered at the shrine, creating a spiritually charged atmosphere with chants of “Har Har Mahadev.” The annual Shravan Yatra commenced with traditional rituals, drawing large numbers of Shiva devotees seeking blessings.
Devotees began arriving at the temple from the early hours and offered holy water to Baba Akhandalamani as part of the sacred ceremony. The temple administration and local authorities made extensive arrangements to manage the large crowd and ensure smooth movement of pilgrims.
Security personnel were deployed, and facilities were arranged for devotees’ convenience, including crowd control measures and support services throughout the temple area.
The first Monday of Shravan holds special significance for Lord Shiva devotees, and the overwhelming participation at Aradi Dham highlighted the strong religious faith and cultural traditions associated with the annual pilgrimage.