Pilgrims visiting the Baidyanath dham in Deoghar are in for a disappointment, as Covid restrictions have compelled devotees to count on Facebook live streams for this year’s prayers.

For lakhs of pilgrims, visiting the temple is special, as they believe pouring water on the jyotirlinga during the month of Shravan can fulfill one’s wishes.

The Deoghar temple, also known as the Babadham temple, is home to one of the 12 jyotirlingas, and devotees are now counting on Facebook live streams of the rituals to be shared by religious groups.

The temple’s official Facebook page has been uploading pictures from the temple premises and the sanctum sanctorum but the feeling of being physically present may be unmatched for some.

“I have never missed visiting Babadham even for a single time in the last 30 years,” said Arvind Tiwari (55).

“I believe whatever I have today is because of the faith that I have on Lord Shiva. I thought the situation would have been normal by now but it has worsened. With no chance of going to the pilgrimage this year, I bow down to the Lord from here, and pray things get better,” he said.

Mahesh Kumar Singh (61), a retired Tata Steel employee, like other kanwariyas (disciples of Lord Shiva), has covered a distance of 105 km starting from Sultanganj to the shrine in Deoghar on foot for the past 28 years, but this year he is visiting the nearby temple in Bistupur, following social-distancing rules.

“We used to book three Tata Sumos every year,” said Singh.

“We’d pick up the holy water from the river in Sultanganj and then walk to the temple. This year we visited the nearby temple and poured water on Lord Shiva. There is no other way but to stay safe and pray from here,” he said.

Singh said many priests at the Baidyanath temple who have access to the sanctum sanctorum will resort to live streaming as devotees are sure to miss their visit this year.

The usual morning shringar (decoration) of the Shivling, aarti and other rituals are also live streamed often.

Some devotees, however, still hope to visit the temple in the last week of Shravan.

“I want to give it a try once. This is something I have never missed. Therefore, I will give a try for sure in the last week of Shravan,” said Atmanand Tripathy, a devotee.