Lakhs of devotees thronged Haridwar and Rishikesh to take ritual bath in the Ganga river on the occasion of Kartik Poornima on Tuesday. According to the authorities in Haridwar, it is estimated that about 20 lakh people arrived here to bathe in the Ganga on this pious occasion.
It is pertinent to mention here that Kartik Purnima is linked with Prabodhini Ekadashi which marks the end of Chaturmas, a four-month period when Lord Vishnu is believed to rest. Prabodhini Ekadashi marks the awakening of the god and the end of the restrictions and austerities observed especially by members of the religious fraternity during the Chaturmas period.
In Haridwar, the devotees started their ritual bath in the Ganga at about 4 am. The police under the supervision of the district’s senior superintendent of police Senthil Avoodai maintained a sharp vigil on Har ki Paidi and various other ghats where the devotees arrived in multitudes on the occasion.
However, despite the police presence, various areas of the city experienced major traffic congestion. Both the visitors and local residents had to suffer considerable inconvenience due to the traffic congestion despite the efforts made by the police to manage the traffic situation.