The Shri Naina Devi Temple in Himachal Pradesh is implementing a ban on loudspeakers, drums, bands, and other sound-amplifying devices during the upcoming Shravan Ashtami fair, which will take place from July 25 to August 3. This decision, announced on Sunday, July 20, 2025, aims to ensure the convenience, safety, and cleanliness of the temple complex for devotees during the festivities.
District Magistrate Rahul Kumar has issued the order, which also prohibits the use of bamboo baskets for offering halwa, coconut, and prasad within the temple premises. The district administration has urged devotees to adhere to the guidelines and cooperate in maintaining a peaceful and orderly environment throughout the temple complex. All necessary public messages and announcements during the fair will be made exclusively through the control room as part of the noise control measures enforced at the site.
In addition to the noise restrictions, a temporary ban will be in place on the movement of heavy vehicles on the route from Towa to Shri Naina Devi Ji Temple during the fair. Trucks, tempos, or tractors carrying passengers will be stopped at key checkpoints such as Gadamoda and Gwalthai (Bhakra) on the Himachal Pradesh border. From there, devotees will need to switch to buses or taxis to proceed towards the temple.
To manage the expected crowds and maintain law and order, the administration has made extensive security arrangements. The Home Guard Fifth Corps, Bilaspur, has been directed to deploy 500 personnel, including female home guards, at the event. The Shri Naina Devi Ji Temple Trust will cover the salary allowances for all personnel deployed.
Shravan is considered a sacred month, drawing large numbers of devotees to temples across the country. The Naina Devi temple, in particular, experiences a significant surge in visitors during this period. In anticipation of the Shravan Ashtami fairs, the trusts of both Shri Naina Devi Ji Temple and Maa Chintpurni Temple held meetings to discuss preparations for the events. Bilaspur Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar stated that guidelines have been issued to all departments to ensure that devotees at Shri Naina Devi ji do not face any inconvenience. The fair at the temple will last until August 5.
To ensure smooth traffic flow, some changes will be made, and the bus stand may be temporarily relocated to another location, allowing the HRTC shuttle service to start from there. A high-tech security system, including crowd analytics cameras, will be in place to issue alerts as soon as the crowd increases, enhancing security and crowd management. A 24/7 health facility will be set up in six permanent and six temporary health centers, and a road plan for the movement of an ambulance will also be implemented. In the waiting area, 1,500 devotees can rest at a time, and devotees will be sent in batches of 150 for darshan. Only online applications will be accepted for operating the langar, and permission will be given only to those who fulfill the standard operation procedures (SOPs). Additionally, plastic will be banned, and only the use of biodegradable products will be promoted.
Amb Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sachin Sharma said that the temple will remain open for devotees 24 hours a day during the nine-day fair, except for one hour during the night for cleaning and sometime in the afternoon for decoration. He also mentioned that there would be a ban on playing drums, tongs, and loudspeakers, as well as the use of plastic and thermocol during the fair. The fair area will be divided into ten sectors to maintain law and order, with teams of the quick task force, including police and home guard personnel, deployed in sufficient numbers for security. Temporary toilets will be set up at various places, and recovery vans will be deployed to deal with traffic problems. Begging in the area will be banned, and regular inspections will be conducted by teams of District Child Protection Officers.
