Haridwar: Braving early morning chill and fog, lakhs of devotees on Friday turned up at the Ganga ghats here including Har Ki Pauri to take a dip in the river on the occasion of Makar Sankranti during the ongoing Ardhakumbh mela.
The chill in the air and the dense fog that hung over the city throughout the day did not deter devotees from visiting the ghats in large numbers for a bath in the river during the auspicious hours, officials said.
As the sun entered capricorn (Makar Rashi) past midnight on Thursday the auspicious hours for the bath continued till today.
Mela DIG G S Martolia said about five lakh people took a dip in the river on the second day.
The next major snan of the Ardhakumbh mela will take place on the occasion of Somvati amavasya on February 8, he said.
Tight security arrangements have been made for the event this year coming as it did soon after the Pathankot air base terror attack.
Mela official S A Murugesan and DIG G S Martolia were themselves keeping a constant watch on things in the mela area throughout the day.
