Lucknow, June 5 -- A large number of devotees gathered on the banks of rivers across Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra, and took a holy dip in the sacred waters, celebrating the divine descent of Maa Ganga to Earth.

People took a dip in the Saryu river in Ayodhya, believing it would wash away their sins.

Devotees offered prayers and bathed at the Sangam Triveni, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj.

The holy ritual was observed as part of Ganga Dussehra, a Hindu festival that marks the arrival of the river Ganga on Earth from the heavens, as per ancient scriptures.

Meanwhile, in Varanasi, priests of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple performed special prayers on the banks of the r...