New Rules at Bakreshwar on Shravan Monday, Devotees Cannot Enter the Sanctum to Pour Water

Birbhum: On the first Monday of the month of Shravan, thousands of pilgrims visiting the Bakreshwar Shiva temple in Birbhum witnessed a different scene. In the interest of maintaining the safety and order of the devotees and controlling the excessive crowd, the Bakreshwar temple authorities, priests, and police administration have jointly made an important decision.

Located on the banks of the Pahra River in Birbhum district of West Bengal, the Bakreshwar Shiva temple is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for followers of the Sanatan Hindu religion. This pilgrimage site, one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, features a Shiva Lingam called ‘Bakranath’ that stands about 10 feet tall. The area surrounding the temple also has several natural hot springs with medicinal properties, which are a special attraction for visitors.

Every year in the month of Shravan, especially on Mondays, thousands of Shiva devotees gather here to pour water on Baba Bakreshwar’s head to earn merit. To manage this massive gathering, new arrangements have been made this year.

According to temple sources, on the Mondays of the month of Shravan, devotees will no longer be allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to directly pour water on the Shiva Lingam or perform worship. Instead, they will have to offer water through a designated funnel placed in the temple premises. The water offered through that funnel will reach Baba Bakranath’s Shiva Lingam directly.

The police administration has stated that this decision has been made keeping in mind the convenience and safety of the devotees. The arrival of a large number of pilgrims on the Mondays of Shravan often creates excessive crowding in the sanctum, which can increase the risk of accidents. With the new arrangement, crowd control will be easier, and devotees will also be able to offer water without any hindrance.

It is noteworthy that similar arrangements have been in place at various famous Shiva pilgrimage sites across the country for a long time. However, as this rule is being implemented for the first time at the Bakreshwar Shiva temple, it has particularly caught the attention of the devotees.

While there have been mixed reactions to this new arrangement on the holy Mondays of Shravan, most devotees have welcomed the temple authorities' decision in the interest of safety and order.