Five lakh worshippers swarm the Shiva temple in Chandaneswar

On the last day of the “Chadak Mela,” more than five lakh worshippers flocked to the Chandaneswar Shiva temple in the Bhograi block of the Balasore district on Friday.

It is customary to celebrate the Lord Shiva celebration for thirteen days. Thousands of devotees participate in ceremonies by worshiping Lord Shiva to grant their desires during the festival’s last two days, which are regarded as its most important ones.

According to senior priest Tapan Panda, there are two traditional stages to the Chadak Mela celebration: “Nila Parva” and “Pata Parva.”

Thursday marked the conclusion of “Nila Parva,” which featured the covert union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Kamini, while “Pata Parva” included a parade of patuas, or followers, getting their bodies wounded with nails.

Typically, the Patuas are people who have vowed to attend the festival in order to have their desires fulfilled. They worship Lord Shiva for thirteen days, dressing in saffron, and practicing extreme abstinence, which includes avoiding contact with their relatives. They eat vegetarian meals only once a day.

To ensure that the celebration went well, the local administration and police prepared extensive security precautions. On the grounds of the temple, a health tent was established to handle any medical emergencies. “Around thirty platoons of police officers, including ASPs, DSPs, and SDPOs, were sent in to ensure that the Chadak Mela ran well and with little traffic. Additionally, Chandaneswar has additional light amenities set up, according to Balasore collector Ashish Thakare.