MP: 25 Lakh Devotees Expected For Bhai Dooj At Datia's Ratangarh Mata Temple

(MENAFN- IANS) Datia, Nov 5 (IANS) More than 25 lakh devotees are expected to attend the annual Bhai Dooj fair at the Ratangarh Mata temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district on November 9 and 10, prompting the administration to step up arrangements for crowd management, parking, traffic and security.

Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhede said on Thursday that the fair area had been divided into 23 sectors and parking facilities had been arranged across more than 100 acres to manage the expected gathering.

"The Ratangarh Mata Mela will be organised on November 9 and 10, after Diwali, on the occasion of Bhai Dooj. More than 25 lakh devotees from various districts are expected to visit the temple to seek the blessings of the Goddess," Wankhede told IANS.

He said that facilities such as drinking water, tents and public address systems had been arranged at every parking area.

He added that wide and open routes had also been planned to ensure the smooth movement of devotees and prevent inconvenience.

The district administration and police are coordinating with different departments to complete arrangements ahead of the two-day religious gathering.

Datia Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal said preparations had been underway for several days, with regular meetings involving officials of various departments and senior administrative and police officers.

"Meetings have been held continuously with all departments, along with the Collector and senior officers, including the Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General of Police, to review preparations and ensure that all necessary arrangements are completed before the fair," Khandelwal added.

He said that another inter-departmental meeting was held on Thursday to assess the progress of the work and identify pending tasks.

Officials had been instructed to complete all remaining work by Friday.

The Ratangarh Mata temple, situated in a forested area along the Sindh river, about 55 km from Datia, is an important religious centre in the region.

Devotees from different parts of Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states visit the shrine to seek blessings of Goddess Ratangarh Mata and Kunwar Maharaj.

The annual fair is organised on Bhai Dooj, the second day after Diwali, and is among the major religious gatherings in the region.

Crowd safety remains a major concern during the event.

Notably, in October 2013, a stampede at the temple claimed 115 lives, highlighting the importance of effective crowd control, traffic management and emergency arrangements during the annual gathering.

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