Patna: A devotee from Muzaffarpur is undertaking the arduous ‘dandawat’ journey from Ajgaibinath Dham in Sultanganj to Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar with his two-month-old daughter travelling alongside him in a specially designed ‘doli’ during the Shravani Mela.Mithilesh Kumar is covering the route by repeatedly prostrating himself on the ground along the muddy Kanwariya Path. His infant daughter travels beside him in a ‘doli’ designed like a miniature chariot. A solar panel fitted to the ‘doli’ powers a fan and light, while its covered top is designed to provide protection from the sun and rain. Water bottles and other essentials for the baby are also kept inside.Mithilesh said he had prayed for a daughter during his visit to Baba Baidyanath last year and had vowed to undertake the ‘dandawat’ pilgrimage with her if his wish was fulfilled.“In 2026, by Baba’s grace, my wish was fulfilled. We already had a son. With the birth of a daughter, our family is now complete. To honour my vow, I have set out for Baba Dham with my two-month-old daughter,” he said.He said he had the special ‘doli’ prepared to make the journey more manageable for the infant.The sight of Mithilesh prostrating himself along the pilgrimage route while his daughter travels in the ‘doli’ has drawn the attention of fellow Kanwariyas and devotees, several of whom have stopped to speak to him.For Mithilesh, the pilgrimage also carries a message about valuing daughters. “Beti bojh nahi, vardaan hai. Use samman dena hi sacchi Shiv bhakti hai (A daughter is not a burden, she is a blessing. Giving her respect is true devotion to Shiva),” he said.Bhagalpur district magistrate Alankrita Pandey said the journey reflected both devotion and a message about respect for daughters.“Taking a two-month-old infant on the Shravani pilgrimage is not just a father’s devotion, but also reflects immense love and respect for daughters. This doli, filled with affection and social consciousness, is giving a strong message to change society’s thinking,” Pandey said.
