Braving icy winds and cold weather, thousands of devotees on Monday took a holy dip in the Ganga at various places in the hill state of Uttarakhand on the occasion of 'Somvati Amavasya'.
Amid tight security, thousands of faithful lined up at the Ganga ghats in Haridwar and Rishikesh since early morning and took the holy dip.
They also offered alms to the poor and the destitute and prayed at river banks.
A huge crowd thronged the 'Har ki Pauri' in Haridwar and people offered prayers to their departed near and dear ones at the Narayan Shila and Kushwart ghats.
Seers said that it was after 12 years that the 'vishesh shubh sanjog' (auspicious constellation of stars) of this kind had come. Similar star line up was seen in 2005.
The day is specially considered very auspicious to remember the loved ones who are no more and offer prayers for peace of their souls.
--IANS
md/umer/rn
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