AYODHYA/Varanasi, Jan. 16 -- The main festival of Makar Sankranti was celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm in Aydhya and Varanasi on Thursday. From dawn, devotees were seen taking dips of faith in the River Saryu. After bathing, they offered prayers at Hanuman Garhi and the Ram temple. Many devotees also departed for the Prayagraj Magh Mela after bathing and darshan (viewing) in Ayodhya. Meanwhile, the Khichdi festival was celebrated with traditional devotion in all major temples of the city, including the Ram Mandir. Sub-district magistrate Yoganand Pandey reported that the crowd for the Makar Sankranti festival in Ayodhya was nearly five lakh people. While in Varaansi, the ghats were crowded since the early morning hours. After the ritual bath, many devotees enjoyed traditional food made from jaggery. To help pilgrims cope with the cold weather, the Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) made special arrangements at major ghats....