MAHENDRANAGAR: A large number of Indian pilgrims have flocked to Mahendranagar in Kanchanpur following the ongoing Purnagiri fair.
According to religious belief, devotees visit the Purnagiri Mata temple in the Chure range of Uttarakhand’s Champawat district in India and then proceed to worship at Siddhanath Temple in Mahendranagar and Brahmadev, believing their wishes will be fulfilled.
Although the fair has been underway since Phagu Purnima, the number of pilgrims has surged significantly since this morning. With thousands arriving, Nepal Police and the municipal police of Bhimdatta Municipality have intensified efforts to manage crowds in and around the temple area.
“Devotees believe that visiting Siddhanath Temple after Purnagiri is essential, which is why thousands come here,” said Dinesh Malla, president of the Kanchanpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He added that food arrangements have been set up near the temple to serve visiting pilgrims.
The influx has increased activity in Mahendranagar, Brahmadev, Gaddachauki, and surrounding areas, with local authorities also arranging parking facilities in market zones.
Keshav Singh Nayak, president of the Siddhanath Temple Conservation Committee in Brahmadev, said thousands of devotees visit the temple daily during Navratri. The Purnagiri fair runs annually from Phagu Purnima to Asar, and over 100,000 devotees have visited the temple in the past three months.
“While the influx has boosted movement in the market, overall business is not as strong as before,” Nayak said, adding that hotels and transport services have seen better performance during the period.
Local businessman Pramod Jajodiya said that for the past decade, traders have been organizing free meals for pilgrims during Navratri. “We serve free food for nine days, feeding between 2,000 to 3,000 people daily, sometimes up to 8,000–9,000,” he said. “Around 30 to 40 traders also arrange free meals near Siddhanath Temple during the Purnagiri fair each year.”
Comment