Datia (Madhya Pradesh): Thousands of devotees took a holy dip at the ghats of Pahuj River on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
Over 30,000 devotees took a holy bath on this occasion, gathering early in the morning to mark the auspicious festival with prayers and rituals.
Similar rituals took place in Dindori, Jabalpur on Wednesday, where a large number of devotees took a dip in the Narmada River and offered prayers. People started arriving at the ghats after 3 pm, and the bathing continued till late evening.
Heavy security deployed to manage crowd
Seeing the increasing crowd of devotees, the administration was also fully alert. As part of the security arrangements, a team of 40 policemen was deployed along the riverbank. Continuous monitoring was also maintained on those entering the river for bathing. Local traders and villagers also showed great enthusiasm for this annual fair held on Makar Sankranti. The movement of devotees at the ghats continued throughout the day.
The auspicious time to bath and 'daan'
Priest Pandit Sunil Dubey said that according to the Hindu calendar, the auspicious time for bathing on Makar Sankranti was from 9:38 pm on Wednesday to 1 pm on Thursday. He said that bathing, donating, and performing puja during this time brings special merit, which is why devotees arrived at the ghats during the specified time.
Stalls of indigenous products were set up at the ghats
The Livelihoods Mission department set up a stall of indigenous products. Goods made by self-help groups were displayed and sold here. BJP District President Chamaru Singh Netam, Narendra Rajput, Collector Anju Pawan Bhardwaj, Superintendent of Police Vahini Singh, and District Panchayat CEO Divyanshu Chaudhary, among other officials, were present on the occasion.
