On the auspicious occasion of Magha Saptami today, large number of devotees thronged Chandrabhaga beach near Konark in Puri on Friday to take a holy dip at Tirtha Pushkarini. Magha Saptami, also known as Ratha Saptami, is one of the major Hindu festivals that falls on the seventh day of the Shukla Paksha. The festival is dedicated to Sun God. On this day, a grand congregation of pilgrims is witnessed at Chandrabhaga in Konark and the festival is known as Chandrabhaga Mela. As per the Padma Purana, Konark is known as Arka Kshetra. This is the place where Samba, the son of Lord Krishna, worshipped the Sun God for twelve years and took a bath in Chandrabhaga Tirtha and got rid of leprosy. Since then, it is believed that a dip in the water body, which is now reduced to a pond, cures all illnesses. And the spiritual benefit is considered as pious as that of a dip in the holy Ganga. After the bath, the devotees go to the Konark Temple to worship Sun God.