Mahanandi Kshetram celebrates annual Ganga Pushkarotsavam on tomorrow
According to the Shiva Mahapurana, on Vaishakha Shuddha Saptami—the seventh day of the bright fortnight of Vaishakha—the divine Ganga descends to this holy site to purify herself from the sins she absorbs throughout the year. Lord Shiva once instructed Ganga to bathe annually at Mahanandi, where His beloved disciple Nandeeshwara had incarnated, assuring her that doing so would restore her purity. Scriptures declare that on this day, celestial beings, sages, and humans alike bathe in Nandi Teertham to cleanse themselves. Bathing here is said to confer spiritual merit equivalent to the Ganga Pushkaras, a grand ritual held only once every 12 years.
Beyond the ritual bath, devotees are encouraged to perform japa (chanting), daan (charity), and sankalpa snanam (vow-based bathing) for full spiritual benefit.
This rare and divine opportunity is a blessing for the region's devotees. All are encouraged to participate in this sacred event for spiritual upliftment and liberation from sin.
A final verse from the Shiva Mahapurana proclaims: 'At Nandikeshwara's sacred site, destroyer of all sins, Ganga arrives yearly with pure intent. Bathing here frees one from even the gravest transgressions.'
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