CHITWAN: As Hindus across the nation will observe the annual Maghe Sankranti festival on Friday, Devghat of Chitwan is all set to welcome thousands of visitors to a religious festival here. The festival started in Devghat by erecting a bamboo lingo on Thursday. Maghe Sankranti is observed on the first day of Magh month according to the solar calendar. Devotees take religious dip into holy rivers wishing to get moksha (redemption) and eating foods like ghee, laddoo, sweet potatoes and chaku prepared from molasses. Thousands of visitors throng Devghat on the occasion of Maghe Sankranti. Devghat, the confluence of Trishuli and Kaligandaki Rivers, is considered one of the holiest religious sites by Nepali Hindus. At a press conference organised at the time of inauguration of the programme, Priest 1008 Swami Gyanananda Saraswoti the Maghe Sankrantri was an important festival for Nepalis. According to the Devghat Area Development Committee Chairman, Sailendra Kumar Piya, everything has been well managed for an easy access of the visitors to the holy confluence. Likewise, the Festival Organising Committee Coordinator Taknath Paduel informed that the Committee has managed parking areas, security and health arrangements, bathing ghats, lights, roads, drinking water, bridges and boats for the visitors. Piya further said a team of 125 members has been formed to manage the fair. More than 400,000 pilgrimages are expected to visit the place.