Deities and devotees at Chandrabhaga beach in Konark on the occasion of Magha Saptami. Pictures by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 17: Lakhs of devotees gathered on the Magha Saptami mela ground near Chandrabhaga sea beach in Konark this morning from all over the country and abroad.

Dedicated to the Sun god, the devotees took holy dip in the sea as a traditional ritual on the festive occasion.

Since Konark is considered the most important destination for worshipping Lord Surya or the Sun god, the holy dip is therefore taken in the nearby Chandrabhaga. It is celebrated on the seventh day of the waxing phase of the Odia month of Magha.

In keeping with the rituals, the pilgrims spent the night on the Chandrabhaga fair ground. “We cooked rice and dalma in earthen pots according to the tradition,” said Sujit Jena, a devotee who had come all the way from Kendrapara.

Legend says Shamba, the son of Lord Krishna, was cured of leprosy after taking the holy dip in the Chandrabhaga sea on the seventh day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Magha.

“I have heard that taking a bath here cleanses you of all diseases and sins. This festival of devotion to the Sun god is an entirely new and amazing experience for me,” said Amanda Nikitova, a tourist from Russia.

At night, the deities Tribeniswara, Isaneswara and Dakshineswara of the world-renowned Konark temple were brought to the Chandrabhaga beach in a grand procession for special rituals.

Devotees from across the country started thronging the place since Saturday morning and observed Sasthi brata (observance of sixth day of Magha month). They also passed the whole night there waiting for the auspicious morning of the Magha Saptami. The devotees waited for the rising sun to worship the Lord Surya and take the holy dip in the Chandrabhaga sea. Then, they visited the Navagraha deities at the temple. The rituals got over by midday and most of the pilgrims left for Puri to visit the Jagannath temple.

Some devotees were disheartened as the cloud-laden sky kept the sun under the wraps. The Archaeological Survey of India decided not to charge any fee for entering into the Konark temple during the weekend. Police also had a tough time managing the crowd that exceeded their expected figure, said sources. Massive traffic congestion also caused inconvenience to the devotees.