CM Samrat Choudhary Inaugurates Shravani Mela 2026 in Sultanganj
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated the Shravani Mela 2026 at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur on 28 July, formally opening the annual Shravan pilgrimage fair that draws lakhs of kanwariyas to collect Ganga water for Baidyanath Dham.
Key Takeaways
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary inaugurated Shravani Mela 2026 at Sultanganj, Bhagalpur on 28 July 2026 .
Sultanganj is the traditional starting point where kanwariyas collect Ganga water to carry to Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar .
The mela is one of Bihar's largest annual religious gatherings, drawing pilgrims from across eastern India.
The state government coordinates logistics, security, and pilgrim facilities for the Shravani Mela season each year.
Local traders along the pilgrimage corridor rely significantly on the mela season for their livelihoods.
Every year, as the sacred month of Shravan arrives, hundreds of thousands of barefoot devotees converge on a small town on the banks of the Ganga — and on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary formally opened the Shravani Mela 2026 with an inauguration ceremony at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district.
CM Choudhary shared a live broadcast of the opening ceremony on X, marking the state government's official flag-off of one of Bihar's largest annual religious gatherings.
Sultanganj: Where the Pilgrimage Begins
Sultanganj is not simply a town — it is the sacred starting line. Every Shravan, kanwariyas (Shiva devotees) collect water from the Ganga here and carry it on foot, sometimes over 100 kilometres, to offer at Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Jharkhand. The journey is an act of devotion that draws pilgrims from across Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and beyond. The mela that surrounds it — the Shravani Mela — is among the most significant religious events on Bihar's annual calendar.State's Role in Organising the Mela
Bihar's state government has long taken an active hand in organising the Shravani Mela, coordinating logistics, security, and pilgrim facilities across the route. The inauguration by the Chief Minister signals the administration's formal commitment to the season's arrangements — from crowd management to temporary infrastructure for the lakhs of devotees expected to make the trek. Local traders in Sultanganj and along the pilgrimage corridor also depend heavily on the mela season for their livelihoods. For CM Choudhary and the BJP-led state government, presiding over the mela's opening carries both administrative and symbolic weight — a visible alignment with Bihar's deep Shaivite religious traditions at the height of the Shravan calendar. As the kanwariyas lift their decorated pots of Ganga water and begin the long walk to Deoghar, the mela season is now officially under way — and the state has put its name behind it.Point of View
Visible stewardship of a mass Shaivite pilgrimage carries clear cultural-political resonance. The mela also doubles as a test of administrative capacity — smooth logistics for lakhs of pilgrims is a reputational stake the state cannot afford to drop. Successive Bihar governments have used the Shravani Mela as a platform to signal both devotion and governance competence simultaneously.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shravani Mela and where is it held?
Shravani Mela is an annual religious pilgrimage fair held during the Hindu month of Shravan. It begins at Sultanganj in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, where devotees collect Ganga water, and the pilgrimage route leads to Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
Who inaugurated Shravani Mela 2026?
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated Shravani Mela 2026 at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district on 28 July 2026.
What do kanwariyas do during Shravani Mela?
Kanwariyas — Shiva devotees — collect sacred Ganga water at Sultanganj and carry it on foot to offer at the Baidyanath Dham temple in Deoghar, often walking over 100 kilometres as an act of religious devotion.
Why is Sultanganj important for Shravani Mela?
Sultanganj is the traditional starting point of the Shravani pilgrimage because of its location on the banks of the Ganga in Bhagalpur district, Bihar. Pilgrims collect holy Ganga water here before beginning their journey to Deoghar.
What arrangements does the Bihar government make for Shravani Mela?
The Bihar state government coordinates logistics, security, crowd management, and temporary infrastructure along the pilgrimage route to facilitate the lakhs of devotees who participate in the Shravani Mela each year.
