Plastic Waste Mars Sacred Bol Bam Pilgrimage at Gupteswar Shrine on First Monday of Shravan.

On the first Monday of the holy month of Shravan, thousands of Bol Bam (Kanwariya) devotees thronged the revered Gupteswar Temple in Odisha’s Koraput district to offer holy water to Lord Shiva. While the atmosphere resonated with chants of “Bol Bam” and “Har Har Mahadev,” the indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste around the temple premises and surrounding forest raised serious environmental concerns.

A large number of devotees carried holy water in plastic jars and bottles, many of which were discarded after offering prayers. Plastic containers, disposable cups, food wrappers and other single-use waste were found scattered around the temple premises, trekking route and nearby forest, affecting both the sanctity of the shrine and the fragile ecosystem of the Biodiversity Heritage Site.

Appealing to devotees, Mukhya Pujari Babuli Mishra requested pilgrims not to bring holy water in plastic containers and urged them to carry back any plastic they bring instead of throwing it around the temple premises. He also requested devotees to break coconuts at the designated area near the foot of the hill rather than carrying them up to the temple, so that cleanliness can be maintained inside the shrine.

Tehsildar Jeypore and Endowment Officer Sabyasachi Jena also appealed to the Kanwariya devotees not to use plastic and to avoid polluting the surrounding temple premises. They emphasized that maintaining the sanctity and cleanliness of the shrine is a collective responsibility and urged devotees to cooperate with the administration in keeping the area clean. Sabyasachi Jena further stated that the district administration has deployed security forces and sanitation workers to ensure proper cleanliness and management of the temple premises during the Shravan rush.

The Mukhya Pujari further appealed to all devotees to cooperate during the daily Arna Bhog ritual from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., requesting them to allow the temple rituals to be performed peacefully without interruption during that period.

Gupteswar is one of Odisha’s most revered Shiva shrines and is located within a Biodiversity Heritage Site, making environmental protection a shared responsibility. Local residents and environmentalists have urged the district administration, Endowments Department and Forest Department to strictly enforce the ban on single-use plastics, install adequate waste collection facilities and intensify awareness campaigns among pilgrims.

As thousands continue to visit Gupteswar during the Shravan month, devotees believe that true worship of Lord Shiva also means protecting His sacred abode. Preserving the temple’s cleanliness and natural surroundings is as important as offering prayers, ensuring that Gupteswar remains spiritually and environmentally pristine for generations to come.