Shravani Mela 2026 is under way at Baba Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar. Lakhs of kanwariyas are carrying Ganga water from Sultanganj along the roughly 105 km route to offer jalabhishek to the Jyotirlinga. The fair runs to 28 August. This page carries our rolling coverage, newest first.

At a glance

• Dates: 30 July – 28 August 2026 (28 August is Shravan Purnima, the closing day)
• Peak days: Sawan Somwars on 3, 10, 17 and 24 August · Sawan Shivratri on 11 August
• Expected footfall: 50–60 lakh devotees, per Jharkhand government estimates
• VIP darshan: discontinued this year — one queue for every pilgrim
• Temple hours: doors 04:00, kancha jal 04:10, close 14:00; reopen 18:00, shringar puja 18:10, close 20:00 (extended through the Mela)
• Not allowed inside: mobile phones, bags, leather items, gadgets
• Emergency: dial 112 · ambulance 108

Monday, 3 August — first Sawan Somwar

3 August, 09:00 IST — Two to three lakh expected on the first Sawan Somwar. The district administration expects two to three lakh devotees at Baba Baidyanath Dham today, the first Monday of Shravan and the busiest day of the Mela so far. The figure is the administration’s projection; no count has been published. (ANI)

3 August, 08:30 IST — Outer argha extended as queues lengthen. The temple has extended the outer argha so pilgrims who cannot join the main queue can still offer jalabhishek. Expandable barriers have been set up inside and outside the premises to hold the crowd. (ANI)

Sunday, 2 August

2 August, 20:00 IST — About 1.5 lakh through the shrine on Sunday. Around one and a half lakh devotees offered prayers at Baba Baidyanath Dham on Sunday, ahead of today’s peak. (ANI)

Saturday, 1 August

1 August, 12:00 IST — Queues stretch to about three kilometres. On day three of the Mela the darshan queue reached roughly three kilometres. Crowd control, medical posts, drinking water and sanitation are in place along the route. (IANS)

Thursday, 30 July — opening day

30 July, 11:00 IST — The Mela is open. Shravani Mela 2026 has begun at Baba Baidyanath Dham. Kanwariyas who filled Ganga water at Sultanganj are arriving through the day after the walk to Deoghar.

30 July, 10:30 IST — 50 to 60 lakh devotees expected. The Jharkhand government estimates 50–60 lakh pilgrims from across India and abroad will attend this year, across Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar and Baba Basukinath Dham in Dumka.

30 July, 09:45 IST — Chief Minister inaugurates the fair. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren inaugurated the State Shravani Mela 2026, greeting pilgrims and wishing devotees a safe journey. The state has confirmed enhanced security, medical, sanitation and traffic arrangements for the month.

30 July, 09:00 IST — First Sawan Somwar is Monday, 3 August. Expect the heaviest crowds and tightest traffic restrictions of the week. Allow extra hours in the queue if you are planning darshan around it.

Wednesday, 29 July — on the eve of the Mela

29 July, 18:00 IST — No VIP darshan this year. The Jharkhand government has discontinued VIP and VVIP out-of-turn darshan for the duration of the state-run Shravani Mela 2026. Every pilgrim goes through the same queue. Offers of paid queue-jumping should be treated as a scam and reported.

29 July, 16:30 IST — Security and surveillance scaled up. The fair area has been divided into sectors, each with its own control room, backed by an AI-assisted central control room using CCTV, face recognition, drones and ANPR cameras. More than 11,000 police personnel are deployed across Deoghar and Dumka. A QR-code complaint system and a chatbot helpline let pilgrims report problems from where they stand.

29 July, 15:00 IST — Kanwariya path ready. Soft sand has been laid along the barefoot route from Dumma to Baba Mandir, with round-the-clock drinking water, separate toilet and bathing facilities for men and women, drainage against monsoon mud, and health camps at intervals. The Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police jointly inspected the path.

29 July, 13:00 IST — Traffic plan in force. No-entry zones apply around the temple and fair area, with vehicles restricted to administration-notified route lines. Auto and toto fares have been fixed with the transport associations. Modified double-decker kanwar vehicles are barred from entering Deoghar, and carrying passengers on vehicle roofs will draw action at border check posts.

29 July, 11:30 IST — Railways run Mela specials. Indian Railways has put on around a dozen pairs of Shravani Mela special trains from late July into September, covering the main approaches to Deoghar and Sultanganj. Confirm timings on NTES or IRCTC, as services are added through the season.

Share your Mela with us

Are you walking from Sultanganj, waiting in the queue at Baba Dham, or remembering a Mela from years past? Send us your photo and a few words using the “Share your Shravani Mela moment” form on our Shravani Mela hub. Approved submissions are published with your name.

Guardian Chronicle reporters are filing from the temple, the kanwariya path and the Mela control rooms through the month. Timings, helplines and arrangements are set by the temple management and the Deoghar district administration and can change — always confirm against official announcements before you travel.