Chitrakoot turns into sea of lights as lakhs perform 'deep daan' on Mandakini

Satna (MP), Nov 8 (PTI) Chitrakoot, a holy town in Madhya Pradesh associated with Lord Ram's exile, transformed into a shimmering tapestry of light as nearly 18 lakh pilgrims gathered over three days to set thousands of glowing earthen lamps afloat on the Mandakini River during the ongoing Diwali fair.

    Carrying makeshift tents, sacks of ration, and brass lamps, lakhs of devotees from across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh have descended upon Chitrakoot, turning a 10-kilometre stretch along the Mandakini into a tent city.

    According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ram, his wife Sita, and brother Laxman spent nearly 11 of their 14 years of exile in Chitrakoot and used the waters of the Mandakini River. The town straddles Madhya Pradesh's Satna district and Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot district, formerly known as Karwi district.

    The annual five-day fair, which begins on Dhanteras, commemorates Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya after completing his exile and defeating the demon king Ravan.

    "Six lakh devotees performed 'deep daan', a ritual of floating oil-lit diyas, in the river on Friday, eight lakh on Saturday and four lakh on Sunday so far," an official said.

    More than 10 lakh devotees are expected to perform the 'deep daan' on Diwali evening alone, he added.

    Madhya Pradesh is home to 70 ghats along the Mandakini, while the remaining ones fall under Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot district. MP also accounts for a major share of the temples visited by pilgrims during the event, officials noted.

    Pilgrims also undertake a five-km 'parikrama' (circumambulation) of the sacred site, a three-km stretch of which lies in Madhya Pradesh.

    Hundreds of police personnel have been deployed to manage the massive influx of pilgrims and ensure law and order during the fair.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)