01Lord of the poor
The linga of Garibnath stands in the old heart of Muzaffarpur. The name means the lord of the poor, and the temple’s tradition says he never turns away a poor man’s plea. Mondays in Shravan are the climax: kanwariyas in saffron fill their pots at Pahleja Ghat near Sonepur, where the Gandak meets the Ganga, walk through the night, and pour the water on the linga at dawn. The lanes around the temple are closed to traffic and lined with stalls of bel patra and dhatura.
02Weddings and Shivaratri
Families across north Bihar bring their children here for the mundan and couples for marriage, and the temple yard sees weddings through the season. On Mahashivaratri a Shiva barat procession goes out from the temple through the town, with bands, tableaux and devotees dressed as Shiva’s ganas. Through the year Monday is the busiest day, and the evening aarti, with conches and bells, draws the shopkeepers of the old bazaar before they close for the night.
In central Muzaffarpur, about 2 km from the railway station; Shravan Mondays are extremely crowded.
