Dongargarh: Maa Bamleshwari Temple Gets ₹15 Lakh Brass Lion, QR Codes on Stairs Ahead of Navratri

The Maa Bamleshwari Temple in Dongargarh, Chhattisgarh, is being prepared with elaborate decorations and new facilities for the Kwar Navratri festival, according to a report published on October 10.

A devotee from Nashik, Nandesh Murlidhar Yende, has donated a brass lion statue in memory of his mother, Indumati Yende. The statue cost about ₹15 lakh, weighs 1.5 quintals and stands roughly four feet tall. It will be installed in front of the sanctum of the Chhoti, or small, Bamleshwari Temple, which will be lit with golden and saffron lights in an amber-themed design.

Plans also include gold craftsmanship on the flagstaff and kalash of the Badi, or big, Bamleshwari Temple on the hill. This would need about 2,100 grams of gold. Gold has been used earlier to beautify both temples.

For devotees climbing the stairs, QR codes are being installed so they can find drinking water points and health service information by scanning with their phones.

The report also looks at the idol-making trade that grows around Navratri. Idols made in Thanaud village are in demand in several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Telangana. About 40 workshops in the village are making 1,500 to 1,600 Durga idols this year, ranging from five to 25 feet in height and priced from ₹15,000 to ₹3 lakh.

The trade brings in roughly ₹8 crore a year to Thanaud and employs 700 to 800 artisans from nearby villages, including women from artisan families. The workshops also make Ganesh, Shiva and Hanuman idols through the year. For the many pilgrims who visit Dongargarh in Navratri, the new facilities are intended to make the long climb safer and more comfortable.