SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Feb 15: The famous Shiv Barat tableau would not be taken out in Baba Baidyanath Dham (Deoghar) and Basukinath (Dumka) on the occasion of Mahashivratri on March 1 for the third consecutive year.
Deoghar Mahashivratri organizing committee General Secretary Tarachandra Jain and Basukinath Mandir in-charge cum Executive Magistrate Ashutosh Ojha said that since lakhs of people throng on this auspicious day, the Shiv Barat procession has been cancelled for the safety of devotees in wake of Covid-19 infection.
The Shiv Barat tableau of Deoghar and Basukinath on Mahashivratri night remains the centre of attraction for devotees and denizens. The Barat comprising gods, demons, ghosts, phantoms, devotees in different costumes along with band parties makes rounds of the city in the evening. Devotees of different states especially visit Deoghar on this auspicious day to watch it.
“For the health safety issue of devotees, the Shiv Barat tableau has been cancelled this time too. But the traditional ritual of Basukinath temple such as bringing down Panchshul, removal of Gathbandhan and marriage Ubtan ceremony would be performed as usual,” said Ashutosh Ojha.
However, the traders’ community of Deoghar and Basukinath has expressed their resentment over the decision of the temples committee.
“The state government has given relaxation in Covid-19 guidelines and infection rate has fallen sharply in Deoghar. Even restriction on entry of devotees into the temple has been lifted. In such a scenario, Shiv Barat tableau should not have been cancelled,” said a registered Peda trader of Deoghar.
The trader observed that due to Covid restrictions, their business has nosedived as the number of devotees visiting the temple have reduced sharply.
According to them, they could have made up for the loss on the auspicious occasion such as Mahashivratri but the cancellation of the Shiv Barat tableau has watered down their hope.
