This story is from August 3, 2021

Devotees throng Singheshwar Sthan in Bihar's Madhepura

Hundreds of devotees thronged the famous Lord Shiva temple at Singheshwar Sthan in Madhepura on the second Somvari of the holy month of Shravan to worship the deity from outside.
Devotees throng Singheshwar Sthan in Bihar's Madhepura
Devotees at a temple in Patna
MADHEPURA: Hundreds of devotees thronged the famous Lord Shiva temple at Singheshwar Sthan in Madhepura on the second Somvari of the holy month of Shravan to worship the deity from outside.
They offered milk, water, flowers and ‘belpatras’ at the entrance gate of the temple as it remained closed.
It may be mentioned here that Singheshwar Sthan temple was closed on April 9 after the second wave of Covid-19 hit the state.

Even small vendors were seen busy selling puja materials near the temple premises. The local administration had to deploy police forces to regulate the crowd, which had gathered outside the temple. The temple trust also swung into action and deputed volunteers to clean the flowers and ‘belpatras’ offered at the entrance gate.
Most of the devotees also violated the Covid norms and did not wear masks and flouted the social distancing norms. “Festivals are an important part of our culture. Coronavirus can’t dampen my spirit,” Raghuveer, a devotee who visited the temple, said.
However, Rajeev Singh, a resident of the locality was taken aback to see crowds gathered there. “I was shocked when I saw people not following the Covid-19 rules.”
Local vendors, who thrive on their traditional business around the shrine area, had made a fervent appeal to the local administration to permit the month-long Shrawani Mela to be held this year as the number of Covid cases has plunged to zero in this district. But their hopes were shattered when the SDM, who is the ex-officio president of the temple trust said, “The closure would continue according to the state government directive till August 6.”

“We are facing a tough time ever since the first Covid wave surfaced last year,” said Bambam Thakur, who used to sell flowers on the temple premises.
“Lagaichhay eho sawan unahi gujartay (This Sawan will pass like the previous one),” he added.
Jamun Malakar and Santosh Mandal, who also used to sell flowers and garlands near Singheshwar Sthan, had borrowed money to feed their family members on promise that they will pay back the amount in Shrawan. “Unfortunately, we will not be unable to pay back the amount as we do not have any other source of income,” Mandal said.
In fact, this iconic Lord Shiva temple draws thousands of devotees from Mithila, Kosi and Simanchal region and neighbouring country Nepal every year on the occasion of Shravani Mela. The world-famous Mela is organised in the months of July and August.
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