Almora: The month-long Sravani mela, also known as Jageshwar Monsoon Festival, was inaugurated on Sunday in Jageshwar by Govind Singh Kunjwal, speaker of the state assembly.
Over 50,000 people are expected to visit the Jageshwar Shiv temple during the festival which will last till August 16.
Speaking on the occasion, Kunjwal said, "The mela has been organized at a grand scale to promote religious tourism in Kumaon region. This is part of the effort to protect the vanishing traditions and cultures of our society."
Kunjwal added that an artificial lake would also be constructed near the temple to promote tourism. To ensure visitors have a hassle-free time, district magistrate (Almora) Savin Bansal has directed officials to take care of the cleanliness and quality of food and water available at different shops near the temple.
Talking to TOI, manager of the temple committee, Praksh Chandra Bhatt, said, "The mela is at least 700-year-old. However, it was never celebrated at such a scale. According to my knowledge, kings of Chandra dysnasty would come to Jageshwar in this month. It was then a small temple in the middle of forests. Several traditions in worshipping shivling in Jageshwar have been observed. Locals and villagers would come and sing songs. It was not a huge gathering like what we see today."
Bhatt said that in 2015, the mela witnessed a gathering of 43,000 visitors in a month. "We expect to see about 50,000 people if the weather remains fine this year," Bhatt said. Five makeshift toilets have been constructed for the visitors.
The Jageshwar temple, located at an altitude of 1,870 mts, comprises 124 large and small stone temples, dating back from 9th to 13th century AD.
Over 50,000 people are expected to visit the Jageshwar Shiv temple during the festival which will last till August 16.
Speaking on the occasion, Kunjwal said, "The mela has been organized at a grand scale to promote religious tourism in Kumaon region. This is part of the effort to protect the vanishing traditions and cultures of our society."
Kunjwal added that an artificial lake would also be constructed near the temple to promote tourism. To ensure visitors have a hassle-free time, district magistrate (Almora) Savin Bansal has directed officials to take care of the cleanliness and quality of food and water available at different shops near the temple.
Talking to TOI, manager of the temple committee, Praksh Chandra Bhatt, said, "The mela is at least 700-year-old. However, it was never celebrated at such a scale. According to my knowledge, kings of Chandra dysnasty would come to Jageshwar in this month. It was then a small temple in the middle of forests. Several traditions in worshipping shivling in Jageshwar have been observed. Locals and villagers would come and sing songs. It was not a huge gathering like what we see today."
Bhatt said that in 2015, the mela witnessed a gathering of 43,000 visitors in a month. "We expect to see about 50,000 people if the weather remains fine this year," Bhatt said. Five makeshift toilets have been constructed for the visitors.
The Jageshwar temple, located at an altitude of 1,870 mts, comprises 124 large and small stone temples, dating back from 9th to 13th century AD.
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