Shravani Mela 2027 in Deoghar: what to expect and how to plan

Shravan is the month Shiva devotees hold most dear, and at Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar it becomes the Shravani Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in eastern India.

Through the month, devotees known as kanwariyas fill pots of Ganga jal at Sultanganj in Bihar, where the Ganga flows north, and carry them in a kanwar on their shoulders on foot to Deoghar to offer the water to the Jyotirlinga. Dressed in saffron and calling "Bol Bam", they walk the road for several days. Many go on to offer jal at Basukinath as well.

For anyone visiting Deoghar during the mela, whether walking with a kanwar or coming by train or car for darshan, the town is very different from the rest of the year: crowded, devotional and busy day and night. Planning ahead makes a real difference. If you are walking, see our guide to the kanwar yatra route from Sultanganj to Deoghar.

Shravani Mela runs for the whole Hindu month of Shravan, which usually falls between July and August. In Bihar and Jharkhand, the month is generally counted from the day after Ashadh Purnima (Guru Purnima) to Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan).

The 2027 dates are not final yet. They follow the Hindu calendar, and the temple and district administration announce the mela's arrangements closer to the time. We will update this page and confirm dates with you as the year's panchang is published.

Mondays in Shravan (Shravani Somvar) are the busiest days of the mela. If you have a choice, a weekday that is not a Monday is calmer for darshan.

Travelling with elders or small children? The mela is demanding even for fit adults: long queues, heat, rain and crowds on every road. If the month itself is not important to your family, consider coming just before Shravan begins or in the weeks after it ends. The temple is still busy, but darshan and puja are far easier, and Rudrabhishek can be performed in the garbhagriha again once the Shravan season arrangements end. If you do come in Shravan, plan one main task a day and leave plenty of time to rest.

The temple and the district put special arrangements in place every Shravan to handle the very large crowds. These can change from year to year, but you should expect:

• Long queues at every hour, often stretching well outside the temple. Kanwariyas carrying jal are given their own lines, and the general queue can take many hours.
• Changed darshan arrangements. In some years, the temple has the jal offered through an outside arrangement instead of directly at the Jyotirlinga, and the rules for paid or quick darshan can change. We plan your darshan around what the temple allows that year.
• Pujas move out of the garbhagriha. During the Shravan season, as per administrative rules, special pujas like Rudrabhishek are performed in outer halls or shared spaces rather than the main garbhagriha. If you book a puja for a Shravan date, this is the arrangement you should expect.
• Traffic restrictions. Roads into the town and around the temple are often closed to vehicles or one-way, so the last stretch to the temple may be on foot.
• Hotels fill early. Rooms within walking distance of the temple are the first to go, especially for Mondays.

The temple is normally open from 4 AM to 10 PM, but in Shravan the timings and closures may differ. Check before you go.

MandirMay does not organise the kanwar walk itself. What we arrange is everything around your darshan in Deoghar, so the town is easier to manage when it is at its busiest:

• Hotel near the temple: AC rooms a few minutes' walk from the temple, in Economy and Premium options for couples and families. Book early for Shravan dates.
• Airport and station transfers: pickup and drop at Deoghar Airport and Deoghar Junction, for up to 4 or 6 people.
• Darshan plan: the VIP (Shighra) darshan pass where the temple runs it that year, with jal, flowers and bel patra arranged and a MandirMay representative with you. If the temple suspends or changes it, we tell you before you pay and plan the best option for your date.
• Puja: Rudrabhishek, Sankalp Puja or Gathbandhan Puja, performed by experienced pandits with all samagri, in the outer halls during Shravan.
• Basukinath and nearby places: a day cab that covers Basukinath, Tapovan and Trikut Pahar. See our Basukinath temple guide.

You can book each service on the Baidyanath Dham page, or pick a ready-made Baidyanath Dham Darshan & Rudrabhishek trip, with the hotel, darshan, puja, sights and transfers, when one fits your dates. Pay an advance through Razorpay, and the rest before your visit.

• Book your room first. In Shravan, a room within walking distance of the temple saves you from the traffic closures.
• Carry a government photo ID for every devotee.
• Wear traditional clothes, nothing made of leather, and footwear you are comfortable leaving outside or walking barefoot without.
• Go early. The first hours after the temple opens are usually the most manageable, though in the mela there is no truly quiet time.
• Keep elders and children close, agree a meeting point with your family, and keep your phone charged.
• Drink water and rest. Shravan is the monsoon season, so carry a small umbrella or raincoat, and expect heat and humidity between showers.

For trains, flights and roads into the town, see how to reach Deoghar, and for rooms, hotels near Baidyanath temple.