Varanasi/ Allahabad/ Chennai/ Guwahati, Jan 15 (ANI): Thousands of Hindu devotees on Thursday thronged to the banks of holy River Ganges to take a holy dip to mark harvest festival, 'Makar Sankranti'. The festival marks the arrival of spring. People from different parts of India came to Allahabad and Varanasi cities in Uttar Pradesh to take a dip in the River Ganges. The pilgrims camp by the riverside and in the evening they decorate the entire riverbank with earthen oil lamps. Security is tightened at the river banks to avoid any untoward incident. The festival marks the beginning of New Year and the holy bath absolves the devotees of all sins committed so far. People queued up before priests to perform the rituals and offer prayers. Meanwhile, people in Chennai too celebrated the harvest festival in the form of 'Pongal'.