ALLAHABAD, July 9, 2013: Thousands of devotees took a holy dip at Sangam here on the occasion of Somvati Amavasya, an important Hindu festival, on Monday.

Amavasya of any month which falls on Monday is called Somvati Amavasya. It is considered a highly auspicious day and millions of people take a holy dip in sacred rivers like Ganga and Yamuna. Married men and women also perform different pujas and rituals and undertake Somavara Amavasya Vrat. Interestingly, the significance of Somvati Amavasya was narrated to Yudhishthir by Bhishma in the Mahabharata. It is said that whoever takes a bath in the sacred rivers on the day would be prosperous, free of disease and free from grief and sorrow. There is also a popular belief that the soul of ancestors will rest in peace if children and relatives take a holy dip in the sacred rivers.

Married women take the holy dip for a happy married life and for the long life of their husbands and worship the peepal tree on the day.

Worshippers began converging along the banks of Sangam from early morning. "People get cleansed of their sins by taking a dip on Somvati Amavasya day," claimed Charachand Chaubey, a priest. Though Amavasya occurs every month, in Hindu tradition it is believed to be the most auspicious when it falls on a Monday, he said.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 9, 2013.