Thousands Take Holy Dip at Patna Ghats on Kartik Purnima
RR Team
Patna witnessed a spiritual spectacle as thousands of devotees gathered at the Ganga and Punpun ghats for a holy dip on Kartik Purnima, also celebrated as Dev Deepawali. The festivities began at dawn, with Triveni Ghat in Fatuha, where the Ganga meets Punpun, drawing the largest crowd, revered for its spiritual significance.Other major ghats including Digha, Gandhi, Collectorate, Mastana, Katiya, and Krishna were similarly packed from early morning till late night. Priests and pilgrims chanted mantras, offered prayers, and performed rituals under the glowing full moon, creating a deeply devotional atmosphere.
Among the devotees, Suman Gupta from Muzaffarpur arrived at 3:30am with his family to complete rituals before the crowd swelled. Rekha Devi, a 62-year-old from Danapur, stood waist-deep in the river praying for her family’s health and her son’s employment. She remarked that bathing where the Ganga flows northward is believed to wash away sins and fulfill deep wishes.
Local priest Jaishanker Mishra at Kali Ghat explained the significance: “Kartik Purnima is the full moon of devotion. Lord Vishnu rests in the mythical Kshir Sagar, and a dip at a sangam like Triveni grants punya equivalent to a thousand Ashwamedha yagnas.”
The district administration ensured safety and order, deploying over 500 police personnel, setting up temporary changing rooms, banning vehicular movement to ghats, and stationing lifeguards, medical teams, and boats on standby. Despite the massive crowds, no untoward incidents were reported.
As the sun set, devotees carried holy Gangajal in bottles and visited nearby temples, including Hanuman Mandir and Mahavir Mandir, continuing their spiritual celebrations. The day marked a harmonious convergence of faith, devotion, and community spirit in Patna.
