The Khatu Shyam Mela in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan is in full swing, attracting millions of devotees to the sacred Khatu Dham for an eight-day festival running from February 21 to February 28. As soon as the Lakkhi Phalgun Mela commenced, the pathways from Ringas to Khatu became filled with enthusiastic chants of "Jai Shri Shyam," creating an atmosphere of fervent devotion among the crowd, which includes people of all ages holding flags as they march towards the temple.

This year's event has set new records, with the number of attendees skyrocketing. The local administration anticipates that between 30 to 35 lakh (3 to 3.5 million) devotees will visit during the festival. Notably, on the first day alone, approximately 2.5 lakh (250,000) people participated, and around 4 lakh (400,000) visited on the second day. Given the overwhelming number of attendees, the temple will remain open for continuous darshan (viewing) over the last three days of the mela, continuously for 72 hours.

To manage the large crowds effectively, comprehensive preparations have been put in place by the local authorities. A deployment of 4,400 police officers and 1,000 home guards has been made to ensure safety and order. The entire mela area is under constant surveillance with 400 CCTV cameras, enabling live monitoring to help manage the influx of devotees and maintain a secure environment throughout the festival.