ITANAGAR, Jan 19 � About 70,000 devotees, including hundreds of sadhus from across the country took holy dip in Parshuram Kund in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh till Thursday on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, official sources said.
The sources informed that most of the pilgrims were from Nepal, Manipur, and various parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Lohit deputy commissioner RK Sharma informed that about 75,000 pilgrims had thronged the Kund and took a holy dip last year.
The number of visitors was little less this year probably due to Kumbh Mela at Allahabad.
However, the number of pilgrims visiting the holy kund is expected to be one lakh till the end of this month.
Free food was provided to the pilgrims at the mela site by the Parshuram Sewa Samity and Manav Utthan Seva Samity of Tinsukia in neighbouring Assam besides some other NGOs.
Free medical camp was also organised by ITBP, district medical authorities and Arunachal Pali Vidyapith. Round the clock volunteers to help the old and aged pilgrims and to control the crowd were provided by Vivekananda Kendra and Arun Jyoti, Wakro.
Parasuram Kund, nestled in the lower reaches of Lohit river in Lohit district is regarded as a holy place for Hindu devotees.
The legendary beheading of his mother by Parashuram and eventual penance followed by taking a bath in the so called Brahma Kund, has added religious significance to this naturally beautiful Kund.
The legendary story of Parashuram Kund also finds its mention in many puranic texts in different ways. � PTI