Marking the departure of winter and heralding the harvesting season, Makar Sankranti, Bihu and Pongal were celebrated across the country today by people who took a dip in sacred rivers and ponds to wash off their sins. Devouts in north India braved the biting cold and lined up before various temples to offer prayers. In Haridwar, thousands of devotees took a holy dip in the Ganga on the first day of the three-month-long Maha Kumbh, considered the largest religious congregation that takes place once in 12 years. <br/><br/>Makar Sankranti is also known as Uttarayan, a day when the sun starts moving northwards marking the decline of winter. In West Bengal, seven pilgrims were killed and 17 injured in a stampede at the Gangasagar mela where lakhs of pilgrims had converged to take a holy dip on the occasion. <br/><br/>The stampede took place when a staircase leading to a river jetty broke down when the pilgrims were about to board a vessel to cross the Muri Ganga river and reach the Gangasagar islands. Lakhs of people in Bihar took bath in various sacred rivers and ponds and offered prayers at different temples on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. They later took 'Tilkut', a special sweet, curd and 'chura' (beaten rice) as per custom.