Vadodara: Once a quiet spiritual journey undertaken by a few thousand devotees, the Uttarvahini Narmada Parikrama has seen a sharp surge in participation over the past three years, transforming into a major annual pilgrimage.The 18km circumambulation, held during the holy month of Chaitra, drew around one lakh devotees in 2023. The number rose to five lakh in 2024 and peaked at nearly 11 lakh last year. Officials expect this year’s turnout to be even higher.“There has been a sudden and unprecedented rise in devotees. In the next three years, the number may cross 18 lakh,” said Narmada district collector Sanjay Modi.The parikrama begins at Rampura village in Nandod taluka, with devotees crossing the Narmada twice en route to the Maninageshwar Temple in Vadiya village of Tilakwada before returning on foot.The Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board has spent around Rs 15 crore to improve facilities, including lighting the 15km stretch, building domes and making the route more accessible. Despite this, heavy rush — especially on weekends — often leads to long waits for short boat crossings.A temporary bridge has been constructed on one side of the river this year to ease movement, with plans for permanent ones in the future.Long-time participant Prof Deepak Adroja said, “A decade ago, only a few hundred people undertook this journey. There has been a massive surge due to awareness, especially through social media.”He added that the route, once considered risky due to wildlife and poor lighting, has now become safer and more accessible for pilgrims.The Uttarvahini stretch is considered especially sacred as the Narmada flows northwards for about 7.5km between Nandod and Tilakwada.Villagers offer food and water as part of ‘sewa’, while temples and ashrams along the route provide rest and support to the devotees.BOXRs 300cr bridges plannedTwo permanent bridges, estimated to cost around Rs 300 crore, will be built across the Narmada on the parikrama route. The project has received govt approval, and the bridges are expected to be completed within two years. Once operational, devotees won’t have to rely on boats to cross the river.23 boats deployedThe district administration deployed 23 boats this year to ferry lakhs of devotees across the Narmada. While 17 large boats were brought in from Goa, six were sourced locally. Authorities also made it mandatory for all devotees to wear life jackets during the crossing.
