PYUTHAN:  More than 20,000 people thronged Gaumukhi of Pyuthan district to take holy dips on the occasion of Maghe Sankranti festival this year.

The temple Gaumukhi, known as the god of health and education, lies in Arkha VDC that borders Gulmi, Baglung and Pyuthan districts.

Every year on the first day of the Magh month as per the Bikram Sambat calendar, thousands of devotees visit the holy shrine at the origin of Jhamruk River.

Meanwhile, a three-day fair was held in the area with the help of local institutions and VDCs.

However, lack of proper maintenance of the roads, shelters and other necessities created various difficulties to the visitors.

According to the record of Temple Management Committee (TMC), people from Pyuthan, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Baglung, Rolpa, Rukum, Rupandehi, Palpa, Myagdi, Dang, Kapilbastu, Nawalparasi, Surkhet, Bardiya among other districts visited the place during the festival.

Locals inform that the holy dip should be taken at the midnight, before the first day of Magh and at the last day of Paush. However, due to lack of transportation, many of the devotees arrived there late, informed Dilip Budha Magar, a TMC member.

Gaumukhi is the primary source of drinking water and irrigation in the region as well as the Jhimruk Hydropower Project.