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[Full title: Materials in Billeswar Devalaya (4) Modern Amenities]

There are a number of materials and structures are provided with the Devalaya in recent times. As for example-The Dama Ghar was reconstructed and provided with modern amenities in 2013 by the then Agriculture Minister, Govt. of Assam鈥擭ilamani Sen Deka. The historic Dama is placed within the Dama Ghar. Dama Ghar is used for Nam-Prasanga also. Bhog Ghar is a specified place where the bhog is prepared. The bhog is prepared daily and is served the devotees. Bhog is not added with spice except ginger. In Devalaya, devotees are usually served non-vegetarian bhog.

Some of the modern amenities are described below鈥�

i) Sabha Ghar鈥擬eeting Hall

A large sabhaghar is used for manifold purposes. It is also used as the dinning hall during festival. It is also used to held ceremonies tile marriage, annaprasan etc. The sabhagahr was newly constructed by the initiative of Shri NS Deka, local MLA during his tenure.

ii) Daloi Ghar鈥�Office House for Daloi

Daloi Ghar is a double storied building where the official works are done falling under the ambit of the Doloi. CCTV surveillance is found to be equipped with the Daloi office from which entire campus is monitored. Mr Dilip Mena, Executive Member cum Auditor of the Devalaya informed me that CCTV was installed in the Devalaya after a conflict aroused on 14^th July, 2014 by some miscreants from Muslim community, who spread threat among the people with a deliberate intent to bring blemish to the sacredness of the Devalaya. They threw a head cow head in the Devalaya complex. The conflict was sunsidized by the intervention of Shri Nilamoni Sen Deka-the local MLA. An adjacent part of the Daloi Ghar is also used as the storeroom of the Devalaya. It is used as a visitors鈥� lobby occasionally. Executive meetings are usually held in the building.

iii) 础迟颈迟丑颈蝉丑补濒补鈥�Guesthouse

Atithishalla is allowed to be used by the devotees who intend to stay at night. Management Committee takes a nominal rent from the night staying guests. It was sanctioned by the state govt. during the tenure of Dr. Bhumidhar Barman, as local MLA. A concrete stage was constructed by a grant of Rs. 1.5 lakhs by then CM of Assam, Hiteshwar Saikia. The construction was completed with an additional fund managed by the Devalaya Committee. To have a glimpse of the Devalaya, Lt. H. Saikiya-Chief Minister of Assam, visited the Devalaya, who was accompanied by his cabinet colleague Dr. Bhumidhar Barman, just before the Assam Accord was signed in 1985.

iv) Water Supply

Water Supply in the Devalaya is now functional through Public Health Engineering (PHE), Govt. of Assam. Temple authority also lets us know that the boring for water supply unit was started by Smt. Bijoya Chakraborty-MP. But the project was completed in collaboration of temple authority and Public Health Engineering department.

The main gate founded westward of the Devalaya was built by an MP fund. Foundation stone was laid by Shri Kumar Deepak Das, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha on 18^th October, 2009. It was inaugurated on 20^th April, 2013. The boundary wall was constructed by the donation of a section of devotees. Devotees offer donations mostly in the fond memory of their deceased parents.

Devi Griha is used o prepare the Idol of Devi Durga on the day of Belbaran preceding Durga Puja. The preparatory rituals for Durga Puja are observed inside the Devi Griha. There is a separate Vishnu Mandir within the complex, where Puja for lord Vishnu is offered. An idol of lord Ganesha is placed near the entry passage to the Monikut. There is a High Mast Flood Light at the central point of the Devalaya complex which was installed in 2018 by the Zila Parishad of Nalbari district. It was sponsored against the approach of Devalaya management.

Loudspeakers are installed in the different corners of the Devalaya. They are primarily used for playing devotional songs at the dawn and dusk. They emit tranquility to the environment around the Devalaya and people really enjoy it. In the morning it is played at sunrise for 45 minutes. In the evening it is played at sunset for half an hour. These are sometimes used for important announcement.

There are some other significances of playing music so early in the morning and in the evening. Devotional songs have power to heal both mind and body besides providing harmony in life. Dr. Sairam, Director of NADA Music Therapy Centre says that devotional songs comprise elements of love, loyalty and dedication. The entire cosmos moves with a single harmony. We all have different vibrations when they synchronize with the ripples for healing the soul. Devalaya authority does it as suited by devotees.

The people in and around the Devalaya are used to listen the devotional song and music early in the morning. Their minds become clean from psychological debris and this helps them to start the day with calmness and positivity. Directly or indirectly the human society is related to agriculture. Since ancient times it has been a tradition where people work the whole day in the farm and return at sunset. Some return very tired and exhausted, some return with zeal and happiness. There were varied emotions. At such times music provides psychological boosting and tranquility. By playing music on loudspeakers the temple also endeavor to maintain the social control. By this, it is tried to awaken the stream of consciousness among the people. It is also a way of reminding the people about the existence of the Devalaya.

On 4^th March 2019, Ajit Thakuria, hailing from Thakuriapara of Belsor, who is a contractor by profession, donates a new 鈥�Shiva Shakti鈥� idol made of gold and silver. The idol is called by the interns of the Devalaya as Shiva Shakti. The idol is sculpted in Kolkata. To install the idol, celebrated octogenarian priest, Sri Kanak Sarma was invited. He is a permanent resident of Bilweswar Village and remarkably he is a descendent of the 23^rd generation of the original priest of the Devalaya, Sri Rupnath Deva.

a) Recreation

Nagakhya Park is a recreational park inside the complex of the Devalaya. It is used as a playground by the children and meeting place by the juveniles. A gygantic Shiva idol made of white marble is erected inside the Nagakhya Park. Its erection took place when the Border Security Forces constructed the park with their departmental fund in 1883.

There is a real story around the construction of the park by the Border Security Forces. As recollected by Ganesh Das a residential neighbor of the Devalaya, it was the night of 5^th March 1983. Border Security Force personnels were camping in the inspection bungalow located near the temple. At midnight, as it is stated that the soldiers had seen a middle aged, stout figured tall person. He was draped in white apparel, white turban also on head, a gilded short stick in hand, riding a white horse, near the main temple. But later the priests informed the soldiers that he was not just a normal human being. He was none other than Maha Rudra-the Shiva himself, who appears every night at midnight and chase away evils spirits causing epidemic such as cholera. The BSF jawans, next morning, performed puja in the Devalaya and confessed to construct a park in the Devalaya. Bilweswar is considered as an incarnation of lord Shiva. Since Billeshwar is a pastoral deity, people imagine Him in ethnic attire of dhoti and kurta.

Beautification of the Dewan Pukhuri was done by the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Assam. A garden has been plotted around the pond and electric lights are installed. With numerous flower plants, people are privileged enjoy the scenic beauty of the pond.

In earlier times, there was a grove of Keteki within the Devalaya campus. The school going children and other people sought recreation in playing around the Keteki trees and collecting flowers. This is a reminiscence of the past memory recollected by old people. Smt. Saru Bala Devi, mother of present Daloi and Dr. Bhumidahr Barman gave a pictorial description how they were used to collect and drink droplets of water from the religious well that was present in the Devalaya with the help of Keteki leaves.

b) Tradition of Animal Conservation.

As the local people know, Dr. Bhumidar Barman managed to bring two deers by the help Department of Forest, Govt. of Assam. During the tenure of Shri NS Deka as MLA of Dhamapur Assembly Constituency, a few tortoises were reared for the first time in Dewan Pukhuri excluding his other developmental works.

The 鈥淐aptive Breeding Program of Freshwater Turtles鈥� program is being run in the pond by Conservation and Research of Biodiversity and Environment. By this program, breeding of the turtles present in the pond is monitored regularly.

c) Plantation in the Devalaya

On 16^th September 2017, one hundred and eight Bel saplings were projected to plant inside the Devalaya complex under the MNREGA scheme, in presence of Shri Chandra Mohan Patowary, the Local MLA, Dharmapur Assembly Constituency and Shri Prakash Barman, Block Development Officer, Paschim Nalbari. As stated by the local people the project was firstly declared by the aforesaid Block Development Officer.