Makar Sankranti: Thousands take dip in Himachal Rivers to mark festival

Shimla: Thousands of devotees across Himachal Pradesh took a dip in rivers braving cold weather to mark the auspicious Makar Sankranti festival on Monday.

A huge gathering was seen at Tattapani, around 50 km from the state capital, and Manikaran, home to a Sikh shrine in Kullu district, for a holy dip in the Sutlej and Parvati rivers respectively.

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Both Tattapani and Manikaran, known for hot springs with high sulphur concentration, witnessed a majority of devotees mainly from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi.

“Every year more than 20,000 devotees are expected on Makar Sankranti,” a priest at Tattapani said.

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The devotees took a holy bath in Vashisht temple, located on the outskirts of the popular tourist resort Manali. The temple is situated on the left bank of Beas River, also known for its hot springs.

Makar Sankranti, a major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of the country, also marks the beginning of warmer and longer days compared to the nights.

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On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, Himachal Pradesh’s Governor Acharya Dev Vrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur greeted the people.