Saints observe flag hoisting ritual at Bairagi camp

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 8

Amid chanting of Vedic hymns by priests, seers hoisted a religious flag at the Bairagi camp mela land here today.

The ritual is performed before the beginning of the festival bath of Ardh kumbh and Kumbh Mela.

IG, Ardh Kumbh, Ganesh Singh Martolia, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Brahamchari and other mela officials were present.

Shri Mahant Dharam Das Maharaj from the Akhil Bharatiya Shri Panch Nirvani Ani Akhada said Haridwar is the gateway to the Char Dhams as well as the Kumbh city. He urged people to come during Ardh Kumbh and take a dip in the Ganga to attain salvation.

He said millions of devotees would be thronging the mela and it would be a challenging task for mela officials to manage the rush.

Swami Anand Swarup, who is based in America, said foreigners were excited to visit the holy city on Ardh Kumbh.

Among others who attended the event were Mahant Nand Ram, Daya Sindhu Sharma, SSP, Ardh Kumbh, Jagat Ram Joshi, SP, Traffic, Shweta Chaubey, Swami Prem Sanjay Maharaj, Swami Ram Sagar Muni, Mahant Shiv Shankar Giri, Mahant Bihari Sharan Das, Mahant Lankeshwar Das, Vidhyanchal Das, Sintu Das, Mahant Bala Das, Swami Hari Nivas, Mahant Kailash Das, Mahant Sita Ram Das, Mahant Ram Sharan Das, Ram Vijay, Avdesh, Rakesh and Rahul Sharma.