Most temples closed for eclipse

With the crack of dawn,thousands of people today gathered at Haridwar to take a dipin the Ganga on the occasion of solar eclipse that also sawseveral temples across Uttarakhand closing their doors todevotees.

However, the eclipse could not be seen in the statedue to an overcast sky.

Devotees thronged Har-ki-Pauri and its nearby areas totake the holy dip. Taking a bath during eclipse is consideredauspicious.

In the nearby town of Rishikesh, similar scenes werewitnessed.

The Ganga arti last evening in Haridwar was advancedby nearly two hours due to the eclipse. Several shrinesincluding Badrinath remained closed during the eclipse andprayers was performed later in the day.

Thousands of Badrinath devotees had to return as theroad at Lambagar enroute to the shrine has not yet been mademotorable.

During the eclipse lakhs of pilgrims took a dip in theBrahmaputra river here and along its course in the state atdawn.

The Kamakhaya temple atop the Nilachal Hill, the SriSri Balaji Temple and Umananda Shiva temple on an islandin the river Brahmaputra were closed during the eclipse.

Kamakhya Temple Trust secretary Naba Kanta Sarma toldPTI that the doors of the temple remained closed since lastevening till the eclipse gave over as it was consideredinauspicious.

All idols of Goddess Kamakhya would be bathed andcleansed, the water used for worship changed and the templecompletely washed by 12.45 pm to receive pilgrims, Sarma said.

The Sri Sri Balaji Temple at Betkuchi area of the citywould reopen for devotees from 3:30 pm, said templemanagement sources.