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Singhal joins Shivratri procession in Ayodhya

Sharat Pradhan in Ayodhya

Vishwa Hindu Parishad chief Ashok Singhal joined the Shivratri procession in Ayodhya on Tuesday night.

The procession was taken out under heavy police escort.

A crowd of about 2000 people showed up at the Nageshwar temple on the banks of the Saryu River.

The procession began at about 7.30 pm (IST) concluded at midnight.

Armed policemen accompanied the Shiv baratis as they marched down the main thoroughfare of Ayodhya.

After performing certain rituals at a temple near Hanuman Garhi, they went to Nageshwar temple, where another round of rituals was performed.

The colourful and musical procession had groups of men, women and even eunuchs dancing with joy, while kids made up as different Indian gods followed on cycle-rickshaws.

Permission for the procession came late in the day after much dithering, as the administration was apprehensive of an unmanageable crowd.

The officials, however, looked relieved when only a few devotees showed up for the holy dip at the auspicious Ram-ki-pairi (ghats) of the Saryu River throughout the day.

"Today's was the poorest turnout that I have ever seen in my life," Sati Prasad Pandey, the head of the local Panda association, said.

Barbers too were disappointed, as there were very few devotees to get their heads shaven

"I do not know how will I feed my family; I have not shaven a single head over the past one week and that is my only source of income," barber Shiv Kumar Maurya said.

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