Yamunanagar
About eight lakh pilgrims, mainly from Punjab, have arrived at the Kapal Mochan mela at Bilaspur in the district to take a bath in the sacred sarovars to attain ‘moksha’ (deliverance) on the occasion of Kartik Purnima at midnight today.

The pilgrims started arriving at the four-day on November 1 to take ‘panchsnan’ at three holy sarovars of Kapal Mochan, Rinmochan and Suraj Kund. After taking bath, they lit ‘diyaas’ on the banks of the sarovars.

A large number of Sikhs also visited this place as in 1687, Guru Gobind Singh had stayed here for 52 days after the Bangani war.

According to a popular belief, a dip in the Kapal Mochan sarovar washes away all sins. The place is also known to have been the workplace of Maharishi Ved Vyas, the creator of Mahabharata. As another story goes, Pandavas, along with their wife Draupadi, had visited Kapal Mochan after the battle of Mahabharata to wash their weapons.

Deputy Commissioner Rohtash Singh Kharb along with SP Rajesh Kalia and Bilaspur SDM-cum-mela Administrator Naveen Ahuja took a round of the mela to assess the arrangements.

Kharb said the mela is a symbol of unity and integrity as people from all walks of life come here for salvation. Ahuja said about eight lakh pilgrims have arrived at the mela to take a holy dip in the sacred sarovars.