PATNA: The Bihar government has launched a digital outreach campaign aimed at expanding the global profile of Shravani Mela 2026, one of the country’s largest annual religious pilgrimages. According to the state’s Tourism Department, content creators, travel bloggers, photographers, videographers and social media influencers from across India are being invited to produce original content highlighting the fair’s religious, cultural and tourism significance.
The initiative, titled ‘Through the Eyes of an Influencer’, seeks to promote the Shravani Mela through digital platforms, with cash prizes of up to Rs 3 lakh for selected entries, according to an advertisement issued by the department.
What the campaign involves
The Tourism Department said participants are encouraged to create photographs, short videos and reels capturing different aspects of the pilgrimage. Suggested themes include the Kanwar Yatra, temples, religious rituals, folk traditions, service camps, local culture and the natural landscapes along the pilgrimage route.
Officials said the campaign is intended to present the Shravani Mela to a wider national and international audience through social media and other digital platforms.
Cash prizes of up to Rs 3 lakh
According to the Tourism Department’s notification, the competition offers prizes across several categories.
The first prize is Rs 3 lakh, followed by Rs 2 lakh for second place and Rs 1 lakh for third. Two participants will receive fourth prizes of Rs 50,000 each, while five appreciation awards of Rs 25,000 each have also been announced.
The department has not indicated any restrictions based on place of residence, although creators from Banka district, through which a significant stretch of the pilgrimage passes, are expected to participate actively.
Why Banka is central to the Shravani Mela
The Shravani Mela is closely associated with the annual Kanwar Yatra, during which devotees carry holy water from Sultanganj in Bihar to offer at the Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
Of the approximately 105-kilometre pilgrimage route between Sultanganj and Deoghar, around 55 kilometres pass through Banka district. The route crosses areas including Amarpur, Shambhuganj, Katoria, Belhar and Chandan, where thousands of volunteers organise service camps for pilgrims every year.
During the month-long pilgrimage, lakhs of Kanwariyas travel on foot, making the route one of eastern India’s busiest religious corridors.
A push for religious tourism
The Tourism Department said the campaign forms part of a broader effort to strengthen Bihar’s position as a destination for religious and cultural tourism. By encouraging creators to document the pilgrimage through contemporary digital formats, officials hope to increase awareness of the event beyond traditional audiences.
Tourism observers have also suggested that wider online visibility could support local businesses linked to the annual fair, including hotels, transport operators, handicraft sellers and small traders, although the long-term economic impact will depend on visitor numbers and sustained promotion.
