Sendhwa (Madhya Pradesh): On sacred occasion of Nag Panchami, a massive crowd of devotees gathered at renowned Bhilatdev Temple in Nagalwadi, which is one of Nimar’s most revered religious sites.

The devotees begin to visit the temple from late Monday night itself. More than 50,000 devotees reached the temple to offer prayers late at night. On Tuesday, approximately 6 lakh devotees visited the temple, according to the temple committee.

The festivities began on Monday night with performing a traditional abhishek at 10 pm, followed by a grand floral decoration of the deity by the Tamatar Group and Katora Gadi Bhakt Mandal at 1 am. A mahaaarti was held at 4 am along with an offering of 56 bhog to Bhilatdev Baba, followed by distribution of prasad to the devotees.

Despite drizzling rain and mist, thousands trekked the 3.5-km hill path on foot. To manage the crowd, over 500 police personnel and temple volunteers were deployed, along with 50 CCTV cameras. Strict traffic regulations and eight designated parking areas ensured devotees did not face any problems.

Youth clarifies controversial comment on Kanbai festival

A local youth, Ravi Thakur, clarified on Tuesday that his recent comments about Kanbai festival were not intended to offend anyone but to highlight the social issue of gambling associated with the celebration.

His remarks sparked a protest from members of the Maharashtra Samaj on Sunday, who felt that his comments hurt religious sentiments.

Thakur had expressed concern over the negative impact of gambling on youth, noting that many have fallen into debt and faced severe consequences, including suicide.

He emphasised that he intended to raise awareness about gambling as a social evil, not to disrespect Kanbai Mata or the festival itself. The controversy began when Thakur allegedly made inappropriate remarks in a WhatsApp group, focusing on the gambling traditions of the festival.

In response, a large group from the Maharashtrian community gathered at the city police station, demanding that an FIR be filed against him. The police assured the community that they would investigate the matter and take appropriate action.