25,000 devotees take holy dip in Parashuram Kund

Itanagar, Jan 15: More than 25,000 devotees, including hundreds of sadhus from across the country, took a holy dip on the occasion of Makar Sankranti in Parashuram Kund in Lohit district of the state last morning.

Braving biting cold, devotees from Nepal, Manipur, Maharashtra and Asom, took a dip in the kund, where Parasuram washed his sins after butchering his mother's head.

Last year, above one lakh pilgrims thronged the kund and took a holy dip but this year due to the recent disturbances in some parts of the neighboring state, the number of visitors was considerably low, official sources said.

On the mela site free food was provided to the pilgrims by the Parashuram Sewa Samity of Tinsukia and Border Roads Organisation.

Free medical camp for the pilgrims had also been organised by the Arunchal Pali Vidyapith of Chowkham, district medical authorities and 9th battalion of ITBP.

UNI