With possibility of 3rd wave, uncertainty looms over Shravani Mela in Madhepura

MADHEPURA: With the possibility of a third wave of Covid-19, uncertainty looms over the Shravani Mela in Madhepura once again. Consequently, small vendors, who sell puja items near the Singheshwar Sthan in the district, are quite disappointed.
The world-famous fair is organised in the months of July and August every year.
Bambam Thakur, who sells ‘belpatras’ on the premises of the Singheshwar Sthan, told this newspaper on Saturday that his family was having a rough time for the last one year.“It seems this Shravan will be like the previous one,” he rued.
Two other vendors, Jamun Malakar and Santosh Mandal, claimed that they borrowed money from relatives to feed their family members because they had “no source of income”.
Even big businessmen, including cloth traders, jewellers, and hoteliers, look forward to the Shravani Mela every year because thousands of devotees from Mithila, Kosi, and Simanchal regions as well as Nepal visit Madhepura during the month.
The Singheshwar Sthan was closed on April 9 after the second wave of Covid-19 hit the state. In view of the pandemic, fresh guidelines for the Shravani Mela have not yet been issued.
Manoj Thakur, the manager of the local religious board, said he was waiting for instructions from the district administration for organising the Shravani Mela. The ex-officio president of the board, Niraj Kumar, claimed that any decision in this regard would be taken after August 6.