Baipariguda: The famous Baba Gupteshwar Peeth in Odisha saw an influx of lakhs of devotees for the Maha Shivaratri celebrations. Pilgrims from all corners of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh flocked to the temple. Over the past two days, many devotees walked barefoot to reach the shrine. Since yesterday, thousands of devotees lined up for darshan, with queues stretching for miles.
Many devotees waited for 5-6 hours in line, while some, unable to endure the long wait, sent their offerings through fellow devotees and returned. Volunteers assisted the crowd, and Baipariguda Police set up a camp to manage the situation. Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were also deployed to maintain law and order. The Baipariguda Health Center opened a free medical camp, treating devotees who needed medical assistance. Doctors from the Koraput District Homeopathy Association provided free health services.
Many devotees from Chhattisgarh crossed over to the temple using a temporary bamboo bridge over the Sabari River. Officials at the district and block levels remained present at the site, monitoring the situation closely. Fire services, ambulances, and other emergency facilities were also in place.
In addition to Gupteshwar Temple, thousands of devotees visited nearby temples, including Pashchimameshwar Shiva Temple, Gumpha Shiva Temple, Neelkantheshwar Temple inside the forest, and the Shiva Temple at Rath Dongar near Kenduguda.
At Naaguda near Dashmantpur, thousands of devotees thronged to see the emerging Shivling from the underground cavern. The Mahadeep lighting and Harihar Bhet ritual at Gupteshwar Temple took place between 12:30 AM and 1:00 AM.
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