E-Paper
Covid-19 stops outsiders, only locals allowed for Kartik Poornima bath in Haridwar
The local administration allowed locals to take ritual baths after the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad and Ganga Sahha condemned the state government’s move to impose a blanket ban on Kartik Poornima rituals devotees.
The administration in Haridwar allowed the local people to take ritual baths in the various ghats of the Ganga on the occasion of Kartik Poornima on Monday after the Akhada Parishad, Ganga Sabha, priests and trader organizations insisted that bathing for locals be allowed.
The administration had earlier ordered a blanket ban n the festivities due to a surge in Covid-19 cases in Uttarakhand. Usually lakhs of people arrive for the ritual baths, but this time due to curbs because of the Covid-19 pandemic, only around 40,000 to 50,000 local people showed up.
As soon as the news of the waiver spread, local people started thronging the Ganga ghats from the morning.
At the sanctum sanctorum of Brahamkund, Har-Ki-Pauri and adjacent Ganga ghats local pilgrims were seen bathing in the river.
According to district magistrate C Ravi Shankar local people were allowed with strict adherence and guidelines of social distancing norms at Ganga ghats.
The Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad and Ganga Sahha had condemned the state government move to impose a blanket ban on Kartik Poornima festive bath for devotees.
A delegation of Ganga Sabha and local traders had also met Uttarakahnd’s urban development cabinet minister Madan Kaushik to press their demand.
“Kartik Poornima is a major festive bath in Hindu festive calendar dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is also the last festive bath of the year. Earlier Somwati Amawasya festive bath and Kanwar fair was canceled by the administration. While election rallies are allowed, why only religious spiritual occasions are being targeted?” said Akhada Parishad general secretary Mahant Hari Giri Maharaj.
While the locals were fortunate to take a dip in the Ganga, police turned away pilgrims from other states heading for Haridwar to take a ritual bath.
Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border posts at Chidiyapur, Kali Nadi, Mandawar, Narsain were barricaded all day.
“As Kartik Poornima bath has been cancelled no pilgrims from other states were allowed to enter the district area. Only those people who were coming for some other purpose having documents to substantiate, patients, official work and those for marriages were permitted,” said Shyampur’s station house officer (SHO) Deepak Kathait.
Ganga Sabha also ensured pilgrims adhere to social distancing and wearing masks compulsorily.
“We thank the administration for allowing local pilgrims and those from other states coming for immersion of ashes and pre-scheduled religious events. Approximately 40 to 50 thousand pilgrims arrived at Har-Ki-Pauri, Malviya ghat, Subash ghat , Vishnu ghat, Kushawrat ghat, Nai Sota and adjacent Ganga ghats,” said Ganga Sabha president Pradeep Jha.
Superintendent of city police Kamlesh Upadhyay said that a meeting was held at Har-Ki-Pauri police post Sunday evening with Ganga Sabha office representatives, teerth purohits , police officials and local traders regarding restrictive Kartik Poornima festive bathing amidst social distancing.
