The number of devotees at the Ghat of Varanasi was much less this time than every year.
Paush Purnima’s bath in Varanasi has faded a bit today amidst the chilling winter and the increasing infection of Corona. In the morning, a small number of devotees reached the Ganga Ghat to take a bath. However, after noon, the movement of people started increasing at the shrines and ghats. By noon, a large crowd of people was seen at Dashashwamedh, Assi and Tulsi Ghat. At the same time, due to the severe cold, people could not stand in the water for long. Some completed the dip, while some took only half. The date of Poornima started at 3:19 pm today, which will last till 5:18 pm.
Seasonal offerings to Vishnu
After bathing the devotees took the vow of fasting by offering prayers. People donated to the beggars and fed the cow. The fasting people with reverence, devotion and faith worshiped Hari Vishnu with incense and lamps, offering seasonal fruits, new medicines and sweets. People donated sugar and sesame seeds to 7-7 brahmins to remove their sins. At the same time, a lamp of sesame and oil was also lit on the deity of Lord Vishnu. Along with this, rice, ghee, khichdi, sesame sweets, jaggery, blankets, clothes were donated.
1 month Kalpvas started from today
There is a law for this bath on the full moon date of Paush Purnima Shukla Paksha. Today, with this, one month’s Kalpavas also started. It has been told in the scriptures that on Paush Purnima one attains salvation by bathing, fasting and charity. By doing the story of Lord Satya Narayan on this day, one gets the result equal to the sacrifice done for thousands of years. At the same time the sorrows and troubles in life are cut. According to Varanasi’s astrologer Vimal Jain, on this day, one becomes free from both debt and sin by chanting Shrimad Bhagvat Gita, Vishnu Sahasranama and Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevaya. One should worship the moon by keeping a fast today.
