Shanishchari Amavasya observed, devotees take dip in dirty Kshipra

Ujjain : Thousands of devotees came to the city on Friday and Saturday to obtain the grace of deity Shani (Saturn) by bathing in the holy waters of the Kshipra on Shanishchari Amavasya. According to details available at Triveni Ghat (bank) of the Kshipra over 1.25 lakh devotees bathed till 12.30pm on Saturday on this auspicious occasion and many devotees waited in queues to do the same. Fountains were also arranged by the Public health department for taking bath for devotees who did not want to go into the river.

According to devotees who arrived in the city from different villages and cities across the state taking a bath in the river was very troublesome as at the banks of Triveni (Shani Temple) there was filthiness and mud, and the path to the river was very muddy and slippery.

Heaps of the foot wear were also seen in different places at Triveni area. Devotees also complained of lack of temporary changing rooms and potable water which were not available at many banks of the river. Many city dwellers bathed at Ramghat which was relatively less filthy. Long rows of devotees at the Shani temples were also seen in the city.  Railway platforms and bus stands also remained crowded the entire day. Traffic management was not under control. At Dewas Gate area, devotees were seen sitting on the roof of private buses due to the heavy rush.

Shanishchari Amavasya is also called Bhutdi Amavasya and hundreds of people who were possessed by supernatural problems reached ‘Bawankund’ at KD Palace and bathed in the water of the Kshipra and  performed rituals to get rid of their problems under guidance of priests and quacks.