Varanasi, Aug 1 : A large number of devotees today took a holy dip in the river Ganges during the occurrence of a partial solar eclipse to ward off ''evil effects'' of the rare celestial phenomenon .
"It is our belief, be it material belief or spiritual belief, we believe that these rituals are for the benefit of the mankind. These rituals are not just for the benefit of the individual, this will be beneficial for the entire world," said Geeta Prasad Pandey, a devotee.