Month-long Chaitra fair starts at Hamirpur

Hamirpur, March 14

The month-long Chaitra fair started at the historic Baba Balak Nath shrine at Deotsidh in Hamirpur district, with a large number of people turning up to pay their obeisance on Sunday.

The fair was stopped midway last year to check the spread of Covid-19.

Deputy Commissioner Debasweta Banik declared the fair open and performed a ‘puja’ at the shrine. Accompanied by other senior district officials, she unfurled a red flag atop the temple.

Mahant Rajinder Giri of the temple was also present on the occasion. Chanting religious hymns, devotees offered foodgrain, cash and ghee at the shrine.

Women paid their respects to Baba Balak Nath from a platform raised for them and men were allowed to go to the holy cave to offer prayers.

The Deputy Commissioner said necessary arrangements had been made for smooth “darshan” at the shrine, as people from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh were expected to visit the place.

“There are eight inns in the temple’s vicinity to accommodate the pilgrims. Over a million pilgrims from Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and abroad are expected to visit the temple during the fair,” she said.

The temple would remain open round the clock till the fair ended, the Deputy Commissioner said. — PTI