Pitripaksh Mela opened on Sunday evening from Vishnupad temple with a puja and chants in and around the shrine.

Magadh divisional commissioner Vandana Kini performed a puja and cut the inaugural ribbon near Vishnu dwar, around 150m from the main temple, and Swami Raghwacharya of Ramanuj math blew the conch and recited shanti paath (peace prayer) from the dais on Vishnupad temple.

Opening the 17-day Pitripaksh mela, Vandana released Tarpan, a souvenir containing articles about the importance of pinddaan (rituals for the salvation of ancestors' souls) and Gaya.

Although the Assembly elections are likely to have an effect over the gathering of devotees for Pitripaksh, at least 3 lakh people are expected to arrive in Gaya from across the country and world.

Close to 2,000 security personnel and 500 magistrates have been deputed for the mela. The administration has made accommodation arrangements for the pilgrims at 24 different places, including 23 schools in Gaya town and the Nyingma monastery in Bodhgaya, apart from helplines and free medical camps.

During the inauguration, Magadh range deputy inspector-general Ratan Sanjay said a makeshift police outpost has been opened near the Vishnupad temple for the devotees' security.

Swami Raghwacharya said Chandan Kumar Singh would perform collective pinddaan at the Falgu's Deo Ghat on October 7 for the peace of souls killed in natural calamities and accidents. Chandan is taking forward his father Suresh Narayan's mission who undertook the work between 2002 and 2013 before dying in January 2014.