Kanwariyas at a makeshift shop at Sultanganj. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Sultanganj (Bhagalpur), Aug. 9: The month-long Shravani Mela has turned out to be a huge money-spinner in recent years and aids employment generation too.

“Shravani me kamana hai aur saal bhar khana hai” (Earn as much as you can in the month of Shrawan so that it helps you sustain throughout the year),” said Prakash Mandal, who has put up a stall selling puja paraphernalia on the banks of Ganga in Sultanganj, around 28km from the district headquarters.

Like Mandal there are around 50,000 people, who remain jobless through the year, get employment for a month, thanks to the arrival of kanwarias during Shravani Mela here. Government reports say that around 1-1.25 crore kanwarias visit Sultanganj during Shravani every year.

Lakhs of saffron-clad kanwarias fetch the sacred Ganga jal (water) from Sultanganj and also buy necessary items here before starting their barefoot journey to the temple town of Deoghar in Jharkhand. The 100-km stretch of the kanwariya route falls under Bhagalpur’s Sultanganj, Munger and Banka districts, while the remaining 10km falling under Deoghar in Jharkhand is dotted with shops selling puja paraphernalia round the clock.

The kanwariyas take around three to four days to complete their journey, while the dak boms (marathon runner kanwarias who offer puja to Lord Baidhyanath at Deoghar within the stipulated period of 24 hours after taking Ganga jal from here). “During their journey, they require items of daily necessity,” said a shopkeeper. “Many get the opportunity of killing two birds with one stone — taking part in religious services and also earning their livelihood,” said Prakesh Mandal, who opens his kiosk during the mela every year.

The month-long mela is considered to be one of the biggest religious congregations, which is evident from the fact that the 110-km stretch of the kanwariya path remains crowded round the clock during the mela month. The mela, hence, boosts up economy activities. Many of the vendors are day labourers who set up stalls to cash in on the fair.

“I am a day labourer and have to travel over 100km daily in search of job, but the mela has given me an opportunity to earn a living in a decent way at least for a month. The government might be planning to provide food security to the poor, but it is this fair that gives me and my family food security throughout the year,” said Vikash Kumar, who has been putting up stalls since 2000.

Considering the huge market potential, big corporate houses, along with many reputed companies, display big cutouts and posters along the entire kanwariya path to woo pilgrims. “We prefer saffron garments from Amul brand and Eveready torches, both of which are readily available here,” said many kanwarias.

The Bihar State Milk Co-operative also goes on a promotion drive during the mela. Sudha Dairy also does brisk business by selling milk, lassi, rabri, curd, penda among other things.

People residing along the kanwaria routes provide temporary shelter to pilgrims. Hundreds of beggars from across the country also assemble here to try their luck during the mela.

Sources said during the mela, a transaction of Rs 5-6 million is done right from Sultanganj to Deoghar.

Usually a devotee after taking Ganga jal from Sultanganj spends s 1,800-2,600 up to Deoghar. “This year, the average expenditure per person touched Rs 2,000, it was only Rs 1,200 in 2005,” said Binod Bandhu Mishra, a pilgrim. from Saharanpur in Utta Pradesh.

A devotee first purchases a kanwar (made of bamboo to carry Ganga jal) for anything Rs 100 and Rs 250, saffron garments for Rs 300-450, a bamboo stick Rs 150 and a torch, spend Rs 300-700 on food, medicines, night stay during the journey and donate Rs 100-200 to the deity through the pandas. (priests).