Historic midnight welcome: Over 50,000 devotees greet Mahasu Maharaj on Himachal border

Devotion touched a historic peak on Saturday night on the Himachal Pradesh–Uttarakhand inter-state border at Meenas when more than 50,000 devotees gathered to accord a grand welcome to the sacred palanquin of Chhatradhari Chalda Mahasu Maharaj on His momentous entry into Sirmaur district. The spiritually charged occasion marked an unprecedented chapter in the religious history of the region, as celebrations erupted the moment the revered deity crossed over from Uttarakhand’s Jaunsar Bawar into Himachal Pradesh.

The entire Meenas area resonated with thunderous chants of “Jai Chalda Mahasu Maharaj” along with emotionally charged slogans of “Rajtilak ki karo taiyari, aa gaye hain Chhatradhari”, accompanied by dazzling fireworks and the rhythmic beats of traditional drums. Despite the late hour and darkness of the night, the landscape appeared illuminated as thousands of devotees switched on their mobile phone torches, creating a sea of shimmering lights stretching across the border hills.

In a rare and awe-inspiring sight, nearly 50,000 devotees danced, sang devotional hymns and marched on foot in unison with the deity’s palanquin, transforming the border point into a living spectacle of faith.

The massive turnout led to long queues of vehicles parked along the roadside, resulting in a complete traffic standstill on the National Highway 707 and all adjoining link roads for several hours. However, the inconvenience did little to dampen the spirit of the devotees, many of whom had waited patiently throughout the night to witness the historic arrival and seek blessings.

After the ceremonial welcome at Meenas, the sacred procession resumed its journey and reached Drabil, the pre-designated night halt, around 3 am amid continued fervour and devotion. Well before the arrival, elaborate arrangements had been made at Drabil for the comfort of the pilgrims. Community kitchens ensured food and prasad for all devotees, while resting facilities were also arranged.

The atmosphere at Drabil remained deeply devotional throughout the night, with devotees swaying to bhajans and spiritual songs, turning the entire area into a vibrant centre of faith and celebration.

To maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident or stampede amid the massive crowd, the district administration deployed around 200 police personnel at key locations. Shillai Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jaspal Singh and Paonta Sahib Deputy Superintendent of Police Manvendra Singh Thakur remained present on the spot throughout the night, personally monitoring crowd management and security arrangements.

Industries, Parliamentary Affairs, Employment and Labour Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, remained in constant touch with local residents and officials, taking regular feedback on arrangements and preparedness. Demonstrating personal devotion and solidarity with the devotees, the minister walked alongside the deity’s palanquin throughout the night along with Nahan MLA Ajay Solanki.

On Sunday morning, Chauhan, accompanied by his family, visited Drabil to offer prayers, seek blessings and pay obeisance to the sacred palanquin and divine symbols.

The spiritual journey is set to continue this evening as Chalda Mahasu Maharaj departs from Drabil for Pashmi village. Organisers and local committees estimate that nearly 50,000 devotees are likely to walk on foot with the deity up to Pashmi, where a newly constructed temple has been prepared for His stay. The deity is scheduled to remain enshrined there for the next one year, during which a 24-hour free langar (community kitchen) service will operate continuously for all visiting devotees.

Religious scholars and local elders describe the event as historically significant, noting that for the first time, Chalda Mahasu Maharaj is believed to have crossed the Tons river to enter Himachal Pradesh from Uttarakhand. This sacred journey has bestowed upon Sirmaur district the rare privilege of serving the revered deity for the first time. Deeply rooted faith holds that wherever Chalda Mahasu Maharaj arrives, prosperity and well-being multiply manifold. It is this belief that has drawn people from across Shillai and the entire Sirmaur district in overwhelming numbers to witness the divine moment and seek blessings, making the historic arrival a collective memory etched forever in the spiritual consciousness of the region.