Bhubaneswar: Thousands of pilgrims took a holy dip at the Chandrabhaga river here on early Friday morning to mark the holy Magha Saptami festival.
Devotees in large number congregated at Tirtha Puskarani to take dip with the belief that it would cleanse their sins and make them disease-free.
It is noteworthy to mention that the auspicious occasion is celebrated to mark the birth of the Sun god every year.
Apart from Sun God, Lord Mahadev is also worshipped on the occasion.
Going by the tradition, idols of Lord Tribenishwar of Madhipur, Lord Ishaneshwar of Santhapur and Lord Dakshineshwar Mahadeb were brought in processions to the Chandrabhaga Tirtha. Devotees offered prayers to the deities there after taking the holy dip. Also, saints offered special pujas to the Sun God on this occasion.
A special ritual was performed to mark the occasion in which cooked rice and dried fish (sukhua) dalma being offered to mythological demon Arkasura in whose name the place has been named as Arka Kshetra.
The annual Khandagiri Mela kicked off Friday with a bang at the foothills of Khandagiri and Udayagiri hills in the city. Every year the nine-day mela takes off on the occasion of Magha Saptami which is the seventh day of the second quarter of the holy month Magha.
