10-day fire ritual in Guwahati for world peace

Guwahati, Feb 8 : Hundreds have joined priests in offering prayers here for a ten-day-long fire ritual for world peace and harmony.

The ritual that began on February 4 will conclude on February 13.

Priests chanted scriptures for the rejuvenation of nature and mankind, and invoked divine blessings.

Devotees said that the ritual is unique as it is being held on the dry bed of the Brahmaputra River.

"They have so many rituals taking place in different parts of the state but this ritual has its own importance. It is being organized here for the first time, because never before has the Brahmaputra River dried up," said Jitendra Thakur, a devotee.

"The main aim of the ritual is to pray for the welfare of all," said Jagdish Kalita, another devotee.

In recent years, it has been observed that the water level in the Brahmaputra has fallen to a great extent creating dry stretches.

The Brahmaputra, regarded as the lifeline of Assam, originates from China where it is known as the Tsangpo and traverses the last stretch through Bangladesh as the Jamuna before draining into the Bay of Bengal.

ANI