E-Paper
City gears up for Makar Sankranti
PREPARATIONS ARE in full swing for Makar Sankranti (Khichadi) festival to be celebrated on Saturday. Lakhs of devotees would take a holy dip on different ghats of the Ganga here to mark the festival. Thousands of makeshift shops of kites have been set up everywhere in the city. A variety of kites, ranging from 50 paise to Rs 25, are being sold at kite shops.
PREPARATIONS ARE in full swing for Makar Sankranti (Khichadi) festival to be celebrated on Saturday.
Lakhs of devotees would take a holy dip on different ghats of the Ganga here to mark the festival. Thousands of makeshift shops of kites have been set up everywhere in the city. A variety of kites, ranging from 50 paise to Rs 25, are being sold at kite shops.
The main market of kites and threads is located in the Dalmandi lane. One could witness a large number of people, including retail shop owners engaged in purchasing kites and threads from there.
Thousands of makeshift shops have been set up on the roadside in different localities including Lanka, Assi, Durgakund, Sonarpura, Madanpura, Godowlia, Nai Sarak, Lahurabeer, Andhrapul, Teliabagh, and Kachchehri etc. These localities are seen over-crowded with kite lovers engaged in purchasing kites and threads.
Besides these, a number of make-shift shops of Tilkut, Dhundha, Patti (grain made sweets) have also been set-up in different localities near road sides in the city area.
One could witness a number of colorful kites flying in sky and hear the sounds of ‘Bhakkate” in different localities.
Like every year, large number devotees from adjoining districts of Varanasi, including Mirzapur, Jaunpur, Ballia, Azamgarh etc., will take a holy dip in the river Ganga and worship at different temples in Varanasi.
District administration has made elaborate security arrangements at prominent ghats of the Ganga including Assi, Tuslighat, Ananad Mai Ghat Dashshashwemedh, Rajendra Prasad etc., to avoid any untoward incident.
Security in and around prominent temples also has been beefed-up in wake of Makar Sankranti. Vehicular Traffic will also be restricted at prominent routes leading towards the ghats.
