During Shardiya Navratri, the renowned Tildihia Durga Temple in Shambhuganj block of Banka district witnessed an overwhelming rush of devotees. A queue stretching approximately 1.5 kilometers was observed for the ritualistic sacrifice of goats (patha bali). This tradition, which began on Ashtami, continued into Tuesday, with long lines of devotees extending from the temple premises to the Tildihia garden.

According to temple authorities, over 20,000 goats have been sacrificed so far, and more than 1 lakh devotees have visited the temple for darshan and prayers. Tildihia Durga Temple is known for having the highest number of goat sacrifices in the district, a ritual performed by devotees whose wishes have been fulfilled. On Tuesday morning, a large number of male and female devotees, accompanied by goats, were seen patiently waiting in line for their turn.

Besides Banka, the temple attracts devotees from various other districts including Munger, Bhagalpur, Godda, Dumka, Deoghar, and Patna. The entire temple complex was enveloped in a devout atmosphere during Navratri. Devotees performed elaborate rituals, praying for the prosperity and well-being of their families.

In anticipation of the massive crowd, the district administration had made robust security arrangements. Strong mesh barricades were installed within the temple premises. Additionally, temporary barricades were set up from the temple to the Tildihia garden to manage the queues of devotees and prevent any disorder. District Magistrate Anshul Aggarwal, Superintendent of Police Amitesh Kumar, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajkumar, along with other district-level officials, actively monitored security and law and order, ensuring the smooth and peaceful conduct of the goat sacrifice program.