GAYA, Sep 17 : The Pitru Paksha Mela at the Vishnupad temple in Bihar’s Gaya began on Tuesday with more than 15 lakh pilgrims from across the country expected to visit it to perform the ritual of ‘pind daan’.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha inaugurated it in the presence of ministers Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Prem Kumar and Santosh Kumar Suman, besides the state BJP president Dilip Jaiswal.
Hindus from across the world visit Gaya during the 16-day Pitru Paksha to perform the ritual of ‘pind daan’ for their ancestors. It is believed that those who perform these rituals get rid of ‘Pitru Dosha’, and their ancestors get ‘mukti’ from the cycle of birth and death and attain salvation.
Tents have been put up at the Gandhi Maidan for the pilgrims by the district administration apart from other arrangements, officials said.
Security has also been tightened given the large number of people visiting the city, they said.
Meanwhile, RJD’s Aurangabad MP Abhay Kushwaha walked out of the inaugural function, claiming that he was not allowed to speak.
“The authorities concerned did not follow the protocol… I was the only MP who was present on the dais, but my name was not there on the list of speakers. That was the reason I left the venue,” he told reporters. (PTI)
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