Crowds of devotees missing from Ganga ghats on Kartik Purnima

On Sunday too, more than 2,000 vehicles carrying devotees from other states were made to return from Haridwar district borders. However, protests by saints, seers, Ganga Sabha and local traders had prompted the district administration to permit locals late on Sunday night to take a bath in the river maintaining social distancing norms.


PTI | Haridwar | Updated: 30-11-2020 22:51 IST | Created: 30-11-2020 22:51 IST
Crowds of devotees missing from Ganga ghats on Kartik Purnima
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The usual crowds of devotees gathering for a holy dip in the Ganga on the occasion of Kartik Purnima were missing on Monday from the banks of the river due to the restrictions imposed in view of coronavirus. The holy bath on the occasion of Kartik Purnima had been cancelled by the Haridwar district administration a few days ago to prevent crowding on the ghats as a COVID containment measure.

Devotees coming for a ritual bath in the Ganga from outside were asked to return from the limits of Haridwar district. On Sunday too, more than 2,000 vehicles carrying devotees from other states were made to return from Haridwar district borders.

However, protests by saints, seers, Ganga Sabha and local traders had prompted the district administration to permit locals late on Sunday night to take a bath in the river maintaining social distancing norms. But few devotees were seen on Monday on the Ganga ghats both in Haridwar and neighbouring Rishikesh which used to bustle with the crowds of devotees on the occasion.

The few present at the ghats were seen strictly followed social distancing norms. Nearly 25 lakh devotees had taken a dip in the Ganga on Kartik Purnima last year.

SP (City) Haridwar Kamlesh Upadhyay said police vigil was stepped up along the ghats as local devotees took a dip in the Ganga while maintaining physical distancing. Devotees also tried to throng the Triveni Ghat and other ghats of the Ganga in Rishikesh for a bath but couldn't because of heavy barricading by the police.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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