Over two lakh devotees took a dip in the holy water of Yamuna river at several ghats of Mathura and Vrindavan on the occasion of 'Yam Dwitiyaa' on Sunday, officials said.

"A large number of siblings belonging to different age groups celebrated the festival by taking holy dip," Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Kumar Pandey said.

He added that over two lakh devotees took a dip in Yamuna on the occasion which is celebrated on the day of Bhai Dooj.

Narrating the legend of the festival, priest Kanta Chaturvedi said, "Lord Yamraj, pleased by his sister Yamuna's hospitality, granted her a boon." "According to the boon, siblings of any age group taking a dip in the holy Yamuna river at Mathura's Vishram Ghat together on the day of 'Yam Dwitiyaa' will be spared from the wrath of the messengers of Lord Yam," the priest said.

While majority of the devotees took a dip at Vishram Ghat, those unaware of the legend took dip in Bangali Ghat, Swami Ghat, and on the other bank of Yamuna. After taking dip, they paid obeisance at the Dharmraj temple situated on the bank of Yamuna near Vishram Ghat, Dhanesh Chaturvedi, a resident of Mathura said.

Siblings Geeta and Devas who came from Gorakhpur said they were glad they could take a dip in holy Yamuna together. Similarly, for siblings Rita and Subhash from Agra, in their teens, it was a revered experience.

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