Sitting at the country's far edge and sharing a border with neighbouring Nepal, Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district holds a distinct identity of its own. The ancient Panchmukhi Shiv Temple located in this border belt is one of the district's most important centres of faith. During the month of Sawan and on the occasion of Shivratri, large numbers of people from both India and Nepal arrive here for darshan. While the main road has existed for a long while, some of the smaller approach roads leading to the temple remained unpaved, causing considerable hardship for visiting devotees.
The situation was such that pilgrims either had to travel along rough dirt tracks or take a long detour to reach the temple by another route. Now there is welcome news for these very devotees and the local residents.
A Pukka Road From Lalpur to Itahiya
The road running from Lalpur towards Itahiya, which had stayed unpaved for a long time, is now being turned into a pukka road. Construction work on this stretch has already started, and it will link Lalpur to the Itahiya road. The direct beneficiaries will be the devotees who visit the temple, along with the farmers and villagers of the area, for whom movement will become far easier than before.
Construction at a Cost of One Crore
One crore rupees is being spent on this project. The road being built is twenty two hundred metres in total length, and it will run from Lalpur to join the Itahiya road. Travelling along this route during the rainy season used to be a difficult task, but once the road is complete, a major change in the situation will be seen.
The Significance of the Itahiya Shiv Temple and Kali Mata Temple
The Itahiya Shiv Temple is counted among the district's leading religious sites. On the occasions of Sawan and Shivratri, devotees stream in not only from Maharajganj but from various parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and neighbouring Nepal. A short distance from this temple stands the ancient Kali Mata Temple, another major centre of devotion for the faithful.
Until now, people had to rely on unpaved tracks to get here. Devotees would reach the temple along the edge of the canal that runs beside Lalpur village, and the rainy season made the journey especially gruelling. Once the pukka road is ready, both reaching the temple and getting back to the main route will become much easier.
Several Villages to Gain Directly
Once the road is finished, movement for people in the surrounding villages will also become smoother. This route will directly benefit several villages including Lalpur, Lakshmipur Khurd, Chatiyan, Bharwaliyan, Thoothibari, Ramnagar, Marchahwa and Rajabari, among others. A link road branching off from this very road also leads to the ancient Kali Temple, allowing devotees to visit the Kali Mata Temple as well.
Earlier, owing to the lack of a proper road and insufficient awareness, fewer devotees made their way to the ancient Kali Mata Temple, but with the new road in place there is every likelihood that footfall will rise. This will bring convenience not just to local residents but also to the devotees and tourists arriving from Nepal, who will now be able to reach the Panchmukhi Shiv Temple directly.
