Security Arrangements In Place For ‘Bol Bom’ Devotees In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: The Police Commissionerate has made elaborate security arrangements for Kanwarias (devotees) who will pass through Bhubaneswar to pour holy water in Shiva shrines on the first Monday of Shravan month tomorrow.

A special team, headed by an Additional DCP, has been constituted to ensure security to the Bol Bom devotees who will go on foot carrying the holy water from rivers. He will be assisted by 5 ACPs, 8 Inspectors, 39 Sub-Inspectors and ASIs.

In order to maintain traffic movement, law & order and avoid any ontoward incident, as many as 12 patrolling teams and 13 PCR vans will keep a close eye on the routes of the Kanwariyas. Arrangement has also been made for providing first-aid at mobile medical units at prominent places in the city. An additional force of 5 platoons of police will be deployed for safety of the Kanwarias and regulating the traffic.

As per tradition, Kanwarias collected holy water from different rivers on Sunday and moved on the roads carrying the Bahungis (slings with two pots hanging on both sides) on their shoulders to visit Shiva shrines on Monday. They chanted ‘Bol Bom, Hare Hare Bom’ all along the route.

The devotees visit Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, Lokanath temple in Puri, Dhabaleswar temple in Athagarh, Kapilash temple in Dhenkanal, Gupteswar temple in Koraput and Balangir’s Harishankar temple to pour water on Shiva Linga at the end of their penance.