Pachmarhi Mahashivratri Mela Begins: Special Arrangements for 5 Lakh Devotees at Chauragarh

Hoshangabad: The hill station of Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh is all set to host the grand 10-day Mahashivratri Mela from February 6 to 15. Around 4 to 5 lakh devotees are expected to attend the festival, flocking to the Chauragarh temple from Maharashtra and neighboring districts of Madhya Pradesh to seek blessings of Lord Shiva. The district administration has made extensive arrangements to ensure the safety, convenience, and smooth conduct of the mela.

Mela Divided into 13 Sectors
The mela area has been divided into 13 sectors, each under the supervision of designated officials. To ease traffic congestion, entry of large vehicles and long sleeper buses has been restricted, and temporary parking zones have been established. For security, around 700 personnel including police, SDRF, Home Guard, and disaster volunteers will be deployed. Health services are being provided through multiple medical camps set up across the mela area.

Collector Issues Instructions
District Collector Sonia Meena has directed all concerned departments to ensure the necessary arrangements for a successful and smooth mela. Senior officers are conducting regular inspections, and special measures have been put in place for solid waste management to keep the area clean.

Sector-wise Management and Parking Arrangements
For example, Sector A1, covering Chauragarh, is being supervised by Naib Tehsildar Shankar Singh Raghuvanshi, Manoj Kumar Namdev, and Forest Officer Shankar Lal Mehra. Similar arrangements have been made for other sectors. To facilitate smooth traffic, heavy vehicles and long-wheelbase sleeper coaches are prohibited on routes from Matkuli to Pachmarhi. Temporary parking facilities have been set up near Hotel Highland, Sandipani School, and New Hotel to accommodate devotees’ vehicles.

With these arrangements in place, Pachmarhi is ready to welcome thousands of devotees for the festival, making it a vibrant confluence of faith and celebration in the scenic hill station.