Bhubaneswar: Thousands of Kanwariyas thronged major Shiva temples across Odisha early in morning to offer holy water on the first Monday of the sacred month of Shravana.
Attired in saffron outfits, Bol Bam devotees in large numbers embarked on their annual pilgrimage by collecting holy water from rivers in small pots before proceeding barefoot in groups to perform jalabhishek for Lord Shiva at temples across the state.
Massive rush of devotees could be witnessed at several prominent Shiva shrines, including Dhabaleswar Temple in Kataka, Lokanath Temple in Puri, Akhandalamani Temple in Bhadrak, and Lord Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar.
Devotees waited in long queues for hours to perform rituals and seek blessings of Lord Shiva on the auspicious occasion.
It is believed that the devotees who perform Jalabhishek ritual on a Sawan Monday are blessed with good health, prosperity, abundance, and peace.
To ensure smooth crowd management and safety of devotees, authorities made elaborate arrangements. The Twin City Commissionerate Police deployed additional personnel in Bhubaneswar and Kataka to regulate traffic, maintain law and order, and assist pilgrims.
In view of the large number of devotees collecting water from rivers, police and the Fire Service department stationed powerboats, lifejackets, rope lines, and portable lighting systems at vulnerable riverbank locations.
Officials also appealed to devotees to avoid venturing deep into water bodies while collecting water for the rituals and to follow safety guidelines.