Aradi, Jul 20: The annual Shravani Yatra commenced at the revered Baba Akhandalamani Temple in Aradi Dham of Odisha's Bhadrak district, with hundreds of Kanwariya devotees gathering to offer holy water to Lord Shiva on the first Monday of the holy month of Shravan.

Following the temple's traditional Biraja Panjika, devotees began queuing up from midnight on Sunday to perform the sacred Jalabhishek (water offering) ritual. Long queues of pilgrims were seen entering the temple premises to seek the blessings of Baba Akhandalamani.

In view of the large influx of devotees, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements to ensure smooth darshan and the safe conduct of rituals. A three-tier security system has been deployed across both road and river routes leading to the shrine.

As many devotees travel by boat across the swollen Baitarani and Salandi rivers, ODRAF and Fire Services personnel have been stationed at the river ghats to monitor safety and respond to emergencies. Security personnel have also been deployed on both banks of the Dhanakania, Tinithara, and Mua river ghats, while adequate lighting has been installed to facilitate safe movement during the night.

Keeping the heavy rush of Kanwariya devotees in mind, passenger boat services at the river ghats were regulated from 7 pm onwards. Authorities have also prohibited bathing and drawing water directly from the rivers due to the reported movement of crocodiles in both water bodies.

Inside the temple, special barricades have been erected to ensure an orderly Jalabhishek, while additional lighting and crowd management measures have been put in place for the convenience and safety of devotees.

Devotees expressed their joy at participating in the sacred ritual and praised the arrangements made by the temple administration and local authorities for the annual pilgrimage.