Jeypore: The upcoming , marking the first Monday of Shravan, will see thousands of Kawadiyas (devotees) heading to the sacred Gupteswar shrine to offer Jalabhishek (holy water) to Lord Shiva. The district administration has intensified preparations for the event. Following a preparatory meeting, officials inspected the shrine site. The previously existing ticketed darshan system has been suspended.
Devotees will follow the usual route via Siribeda and Sorishapadar, returning to Ramgiri Square after offering the holy water. A control room will be set up in front of the temple. To ensure safety, additional security personnel will be deployed at Ghati Road and Sabari Ghat, and barricades will be installed, as informed by Endowment Officer and in-charge Tehsildar Chittaranjan Pattnaik.
Two days ago, a preparatory meeting was held under the chairmanship of Sub-Collector A. Shasya Reddy, attended by SDPO Partha Jagadish Kashyap, among others. Several key decisions were taken to ensure the smooth conduct of the Bol Bam Yatra.
Key arrangements include:
Ticketed darshan has been suspended to ease temple access.
A 24×7 control room will operate in front of the temple.
Lighting arrangements with 10 halogen and 3 power lights will be installed, and the Fire Services have been instructed to assist.
No lamps or flames will be allowed inside the temple.
Parking areas will be created at Siribeda Square, and tolls will be charged: ₹10 for two-wheelers, ₹20 for auto-rickshaws, and ₹50 for four-wheelers and heavy vehicles.
On the 3rd and 4th Mondays of Shravan, larger gatherings are expected, for which extra police forces will be deployed from Shuklanal to the temple.
Essential services like uninterrupted power, safe drinking water, sanitation (toilets, perfumery), healthcare, and traveller safety will be prioritized.
Officials involved in the preparations include:
B.D.O. Baipariguda Shakti Mahapatra
Tehsildar Snigdha Choudhury
Supply Officer Sarbeswar Nayak
Local AFO Suresh Kumar Barik
Revenue Supervisors Harihar Satapathy & Dillip Kumar Pradhan
Endowment Officers Krushnachandra Das & Subham Mishra
Members of the temple committee and officials from various departments also participated in the coordination meeting.