Braving pandemic, thousands take holy dip in Himachal rivers By IANS | Published on Thu, Jan 14 2021 9:21 IST | 0 Views Braving pandemic, thousands take holy dip in Himachal rivers. Image Source: IANS News Shimla, Jan 14 : Braving extreme chill and pandemic, thousands of people across Himachal Pradesh on Thursday took holy dips in rivers to mark Makar Sankranti, a Hindu festival dedicated to the deity Surya. Since early morning, the devotees were seen congregating at Tattapani, 55 km from the state capital, and Manikaran, home to a Sikh shrine in Kullu district, for taking bath in the Satluj and Parvati rivers, respectively, officials said. Tattapani and Manikaran are known for hot water springs with high sulphur concentration.