Devotees take holy dip in Bihar on Kartik Purnima

Hundreds of thousands of devotees Thursday took a holy dip in the Ganga and other rivers in Bihar on the occasion of Kartik Purnima, considered as an auspicious day by the Hindus.

Nearly one million devotees Thursday took dip at Konhara ghat, the famous confluence of rivers Ganga and Gandak in Saran district, a police official said.

Devotees were chanting "bam bam bhole" and "jai Ganga maiya", while moving towards the ghat in Saran district's Sonepur, where Asia's largest cattle fair was inaugurated Wednesday.

Devotees also thronged several ghats in Patna since early Thursday to take holy dip in river Ganga. "It was an unique gathering of devotees," District Magistrate Abhay Kumar said.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Rana said tight security arrangement has been made at ghats in view of large gathering.

Similar gathering of devotees was also reported from Buxar, Bhagalpur, Munger, Muzaffarpur districts.

Devotees also offered prayers in various temples across the state.

The holy bath, also known as 'Kartik snan', in the Ganga is deemed most auspicious on the day.