2005: Mandhardevi Temple Stampede

The Event:
The Mandhara Devi temple near Wai, Maharashtra attracts lakhs of devotees for the annual jatra at the time of the Paush Purnima. On January 25, 2005 during the annual pilgrimage, devotees had congregated at the shrine when an unexpected series of events led to panic and a stampede that culminated in one of the worst calamities at a religious place in recent times. The incident happened around 1.30 in the afternoon, when pilgrims entered the temples’ sanctum sanctorum to make the traditional offering of oil to the goddess. Nearly 300 people, including many children, died in a stampede. Many devotees were grievously injured. A stampede of this scale had not occurred in Maharashtra and the toll soon assumed proportions of a small disaster.