Special prayers at Sangam for peace in Nepal

Ardh Kumbh Nagar, Allahabad, Jan 19 (UNI) More than 150 people from Nepal offered special prayers for peace in their country, after taking dips in the Triveni Sangam on the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya at the ongoing Ardh Kumbh here today.

''We come here during every Kumbh, but this Kumbh is special to us as after a long bout of bloody conflict in our country, peace finally seems to be there. We are offering special prayers this time for permanent stay of peace in Nepal,'' said Ashok Dwivedi, a native of a village from Parsa district of Nepal.

While the men shaved their head as part of the special prayers, the women observed complete fast to pray for their country's cause.

Later, the Nepali devotees who are equally conversant in Maithili and Nepali capped the 'pujan' with their chief priest Harendra Upadhyaya performing the prized 'havan.' Wearing white clothes, the Nepali devotees also took a vow at the Triveni Sangam -- confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and myhthical Saraswati rivers -- to work endlessly for continuance of peace in the Himalyan Kingdom.

The contingent has already offered prayers for peace in Nepal, at Varanasi and Chitrakoot and will now travel to Ayodhya and Gorakhpur for the national cause. ''We are travelling to all religious places to pray for peace in Nepal,'' Mr Dwivedi said.

The festival of Mauni Amavasya today was the biggest of the six bathing festivals at the Ardh Kumbh Mela -- the largest religious congregation in the world -- and was also marked by the second of the three royal Bathing 'shahi snans' when 13 akharas comprising of naga sadhus takedip in the Sangam.

UNI