Tanahun, 1 Magh(14 January): All preparations for the fair to be held at Devghatdham on the occasion of Maghe Sankranti have been completed. The Devghat Area Development Committee has stated that it is estimated that around five lakh devotees will come to Devghat today to take a bath during Maghe Sankranti.
More than 500 security personnel have been mobilized, said Sadan Baral, executive director of the committee. According to him, during the fair, arrangements have been made for vehicles to enter the fair via Ramnagar in Chitwan, Devghat, or Ramnagar-Thimura, Devghat, or Dasdhunga, and return via Devghat-Bageshwari, via Aanpatari.
Additionally, arrangements have been made for vehicles coming to Devghat from Muglin to enter Devghatdham directly from Dasdhunga and return via the same route. Arrangements have been made for small vehicles to park vehicles towards Chiwan within the compound of Sitaram Sanskrit Secondary School.
Baral, the executive director of the committee, informed that parking for large vehicles (buses, minibuses, microbuses) has been arranged in the northeast area from the cremation ground entrance (Chandralok Swargadwar). “Arrangements have been made to allow only one hundred passengers to cross the suspension bridge on the Trishuli River at a time. As an alternative route, ample boats have been arranged in Beni,” he said.

While crossing the river by boat and rafting, it has been made mandatory to wear a life jacket, and the one-way fare for boat and rafting has been fixed at Rs 50, said Bhim Bahadur Rana, chairman of the Devghat Area Development Committee. According to the Padma Purana, there is a religious belief and belief that bathing in Devghat Dham during the month of Magh when the Sun is in the Capricorn sign will bring great merit.
The day when the holy Trishuli River and the Kaligandaki River meet at Devghat is considered to be the day of Makar Sankranti. For this reason, a large crowd of people bathe at Devghat on Maghe Sankranti. Smoking, alcohol and tobacco products are prohibited at the shrine. All parties concerned have been requested to cooperate by not selling, transporting and consuming these items, said Executive Director Baral.
“The bathing area in the beni has been separated with ropes. It is dangerous to go deep beyond that area and bathe. Keeping in mind the possible accidents that may occur while bathing, the Devghat Area Development Committee has arranged rescue arrangements by placing Red Cross flags on two local wooden boats,” said Director Baral. “Two rescue rafting boats have been arranged each from the Armed Police Force Disaster Management School, Kurintar, and the Nepali Army, New Sabuj Battalion, Bharatpur.”
The committee has stated that the parking fee for vehicles has been fixed at Rs 10 for bicycles, Rs 20 for motorcycles, Rs 50 for cars, jeeps, vans and light vehicles, and Rs 100 for heavy vehicles including buses and trucks during the fair. Purna Bahadur Kunwar, Chairman of Devghat Rural Municipality-5, said that the fair has been made more organized this time by correcting the shortcomings of the past.