A sweeping sea of devotees gathered at the Baba Ramdev temple in Jodhpur's Masuria locality on Monday morning to observe Bhadrapada Shukla Dashami. Marking the central day of the congregation widely revered as the Mahakumbh of Marwar, priests conducted an elaborate grand aarti using 51 sacred lamps at 6 am at the shrine of Guru Balinath. Reverberating chants praising Guru Balinath and Baba Ramdev echoed across the premises as pilgrims offered prayers seeking peace, health, and prosperity.
Traditional Lineage and Reverence for Guru Balinath
According to long-held religious traditions, paying homage at the samadhi of Guru Balinath is considered an essential prerequisite before seeking the blessings of Baba Ramdev. Explaining this spiritual custom, Narendra Chauhan, president of the temple trust, observed that this conviction draws pilgrims from distant regions directly to Masuria. Temple spokesperson and media coordinator Ranjan Daiya pointed out that hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have visited the sacred site since the fair commenced, with unbroken queues forming from the earliest hours of Dashami.
Evening Aarti and Distribution of 351 kg Peda Prasad
Continuous devotional chanting, hymn singing, and ritual ceremonies unfolded throughout the day across the sanctum. The multi-day fair organized by the temple trust will formally draw to a close following Monday's evening aarti. Immediately after the culmination of the dusk prayers, authorities have arranged to distribute 351 kilograms of sweet peda prasad among the gathering. Visitors also queued patiently to catch a glimpse of the shrine's eternal flame, which stands as a central spiritual attraction during the festivities.
Surveillance via 56 CCTV Units and Deployment of Kalika Team
Given the immense influx of worshippers, tight safety protocols were enforced across the entire shrine complex and adjoining thoroughfares. A dedicated network of 56 CCTV cameras monitors the grounds continuously alongside deployed police personnel. To guarantee the safety and ease of female worshippers, specialized personnel from the Kalika security team were stationed across critical points.
Ground management is further reinforced by hundreds of volunteers working alongside leaders of the Shri Pipa Kshatriya Samast Nyati Sabha Trust. Key office-bearers, including secretary Narendra Goyal, vice president Shiv Prakash Daiya, Dinesh Goyal, Dinesh Prakash Panwar, and treasurer Purushottam Rakhecha, actively supervised queue flow and civic arrangements. Beyond its spiritual significance, the annual gathering continues to serve as an enduring symbol of communal harmony and cultural unity in Rajasthan.
