The Hindu pilgrimage site Parshuram Kund situated on the banks of the Lohit River in Arunachal Pradesh, dedicated to sage Parshuram, which attracts pilgrims from Nepal and across India, will be held from 12th to 16th of January, 2021.

The Mela which is held there attracts over 70,000 devotees and Sadhus who take a holy dip in its water each year on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. This year however, the five day festival will only see 1,000 pilgrims per day, as per the new guidelines issued by the government and authorities.

The festival aims to leverage promotion of spiritual tourism in the Northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The majestic natural setting around the Kund provides a perfect getaway for tourists to indulge themselves in the lap of nature and at the same time get a first hand experience of the indigenous tribal culture of Arunachal pradesh.

In addition to the spiritual segment of the festival, it also has a plethora of activities for tourists to engage in like trekking, rafting, camping, musical shows, bicycle rides, local village tours, sightseeing, adventure sports, art and photography to name a few. The festival also aims to provide a platform for livelihood promotion of the locals by way of putting up stalls of local cuisine, handicraft items and organic produce.

The period of pilgrimage and holy dip which used to be spread over more than 10 days has also been cut short to 5 with various other limitations and restrictions in place keeping in mind the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The entry into the main temple shrine and subsidiary shrines in the mandir complex will also be barred considering the closed spaces restrictions. The movement of pilgrims is also restricted within the Parshuram Mandir complex and movement of Sadhus will also not be allowed in the nearby villages or township neighbouring the district.

Night stay in the Dharamshala within the complex is also not allowed unless any emergency situation arises on Medical grounds. Vehicles too will be escorted by Police Personnel in appropriate groups.

Online registrations of pilgrims have been made mandatory and anyone from 10-65 years of age will be allowed to register through their website. Registrations began on 22nd of December, 2020 and will close on 10th of January, 2021. Those interested may avail their e-tickets by logging on to https://lohit.nic.in/