Heavy security at Kurukshetra ahead of Friday's solar eclipse

Kurukshetra (Haryana), July 31 : Security has been beefed up in Kurukshetra ahead of a fair to be held on Friday to mark the Solar eclipse.

Haryana Government sources said this precautionary step is being taken in the wake of the damage caused to life and property by the serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

Nearly 1.5 million pilgrims are expected to attend the solar eclipse tommorow.

According to Hindu mythology, whosoever takes a dip in the tanks here on the solar eclipse day, is freed from all his sins and attains salvation.

The sprawling Brahm Sarovar, or Kurukshetra tank as it is locally known, is one of the main centres of interest for the pilgrims. The tank has a surface area of 3.5 km and several lakh people can take a dip at a time in the holy tank.

Pilgrims first bathe in the Sannehit tank at the time of the eclipse. The Sannehit tank is much smaller than the Brahm Sarovar.

It is believed that all the holy waters of India flow into the Kurukshetra tank at the time of an eclipse. It is said that those who visit this area, reside here, take bath in the tanks here, or die in Kurukshetra go to heaven after death. The Mahabharata states that one who dies at Kurukshetra attains salvation.

A total eclipse of the sun will occur on afternoon of August 1, and it will be visible as a partial eclipse throughout India.

ANI