On the auspicious occasion of Magha Saptami, lakhs of devotees took a holy dip at Chandrabhaga in konark. The belief is that taking a dip at Chandrabhaga on this day washes away all sins and leads to salvation. The deities of the Tribeniswar, Ishaneshwar, and Dakshineshwar temples were also ceremoniously bathed in the holy water. The deities were taken out in a grand procession on Monday night, were worshipped at various locations in Konark, including the Konark NAC Mandap, Tehsil office, and the PWD Dak Bungalow. The atmosphere was filled with devotion and enthusiasm as devotee’s chanted prayers and offered lamps. Some devotees expressed dissatisfaction with the water quality, but the overall spirit of the event remained high.
To ensure the safety and security of the devotees, elaborate arrangements were made by the local administration. District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain, SP Binit Agrawal, Sub-Collector Rajkishore Jena, and other administrative officials were present to oversee the security measures. 300 volunteers and 33 platoons of police force were deployed to maintain law and order. The strong security measures ensured that the event was peaceful, allowing smooth movement of the devotees without any hindrances.
