Nearly 20 lakh devotees took a holy dip in Ganga to mark the Ganga Dushehra festival on Tuesday. With two back to back snans (Nirjala Ekadeshi falling on Thursday), pilgrims thronged the holy city a day before. Arrangements made by police department helped well to streamline the traffic and the city witnessed smooth flow of traffic on National Highway NH -58.
Since early morning, devotees had started reaching Har Ki Pauri and offered prayers to Ganga. The period of merit lasted till Wednesday morning.
It is said that every step taken to reach Ganga with devotion gives boon of one thousand ‘Ashwamdha yajnas’. The festival was celebrated with full religious fervour throughout the day.
Speaking to The Pioneer, SSP Rajeev Swaroop said, “Till 2 pm, 14 lakh pilgrims had taken holy dip at the sanctum sanctorum and other ghats. we expect the number to reach 20 lakhs by the end of the day.”
Ganga Dushehra is celebrated to mark the descent of Ganga. Ganga is said to have got locked in the matted hair of The lord Shiva. Jahnu rishi got it freed from the locks of Shiva and Ganga started flowing again. Hence Ganga got its synonym as ‘Janhvi’.
As per Kedar Purana, Rishi Janhu had his ashram on the bank of the river on the way to Gangotri. When the flood came and the Ganga swept away the Rishi’s hut he got so angry that he drank up the entire river. Thus the Ganga became invisible. When Raja Bharthari came to him and pleaded with him to let the Ganga go. Though falling from the labyrinth of Shiva’s matted hair, the river lost its force and descended gently on earth, bestowing life along her course.