The annual Dangaria Baba Puja and Mela, celebrated on the last Saturday of every year, drew thousands of devotees to the revered Dangaria Baba Temple at Raneghat. People from diverse religious backgrounds gathered in large numbers to offer prayers and participate in the vibrant festivities. The temple, nestled under a sprawling banyan tree near the Siang Bridge, has been a beacon of faith and spirituality since its establishment in the 1960s. Devotees from across Arunachal Pradesh and neighboring regions, including Assam’s Dibrugarh, Silapathar, and Jonai, thronged the temple premises from the early hours of Saturday. The accompanying fair saw numerous stalls set up by vendors from Pasighat and beyond, adding a lively and festive atmosphere to the sacred event.
Local MLA Tapi Darang, who graced the occasion, highlighted the temple’s unique role as a unifying religious site. “The Dangaria Baba Temple transcends religious boundaries, attracting followers of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and indigenous faiths like Donyi-Polo,” he said. Darang emphasized its potential as a key religious tourism destination for Arunachal Pradesh, underscoring its historical and spiritual significance. Er. Atop Lego, a retired PWD Chief Engineer, recounted the temple’s origins. Established in the 1960s during the construction of the Pasighat-Pangin road, the temple was built after a series of unexplained accidents plagued the area. Following the pujas initiated by engineers, the accidents reportedly ceased, cementing the site’s reputation as a place of divine protection.
With its growing popularity, there is increasing demand to elevate the Dangaria Baba Temple into a major pilgrimage and tourism site. Temple authorities have proposed extending the annual celebrations to three days to accommodate the rising number of visitors. They also called for the Tourism Department’s intervention to enhance infrastructure and promote the temple as part of a broader religious tourism circuit.Arunachal Pradesh is home to several significant pilgrimage sites, including Parsuram Kund, Bismak Nagar, and the Siva Linga of Ziro. Developing these sites into a comprehensive tourist circuit could boost the state’s economy and showcase its rich cultural and spiritual heritage.
