In a grand celebration, more than 73 lakh people dipped into the sacred waters at Sangam by 6 am on Wednesday for Maghi Purnima during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The holy bathing started early in the morning, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been keeping an eye on the event from Lucknow.
With the Maghi Purnima bath, a month-long period called Kalpavas ends. Around 10 lakh ‘Kalpvasis’ (devotees who stay for a month) will begin heading home. The authorities have reminded everyone to follow traffic rules and use only approved parking areas.
A large number of devotees flocked to the Sangam for their holy dip, and the Uttar Pradesh government reported that by 6 am, 73.60 lakh people, including 10 lakh Kalpvasis, completed their ritual bathing. CM Adityanath monitored the event from his official residence in Lucknow alongside senior officials.
Kumbh SSP Rajesh Dwivedi stated, “Everything is moving smoothly, and we are ensuring crowd control.” He added that they had made special arrangements as they had done for the previous bathing event on Basant Panchami, but this time it was even better.
Talking about safety measures for today, the SSP mentioned that more police have been stationed at busy spots, and they are keeping the crowd informed. Adityanath sent good wishes to everyone attending the holy celebration, hoping all would be blessed with happiness and prosperity.
Officials ensured everything is organized for a comfortable experience for the devotees. The area is a ‘no-vehicle zone’ from 4 am on Tuesday, and the entire city will follow this rule starting 5 pm, except for emergency services. Designated parking areas have been set up to manage traffic smoothly.
Prayagraj ADG Bhanu Bhaskar said that special police forces are present to handle large crowds. They are also gathering real-time data to monitor vehicle flow in and out of the area.
Srinivas, a devotee from Andhra Pradesh, expressed his satisfaction with the arrangements, saying, “The UP government has done a great job.” Another devotee, Gayatri, shared her happiness about being at the Kumbh Mela, feeling a sense of unity among all.
The state transport department arranged for 1,200 extra shuttle buses, running every 10 minutes to help devotees get around. The Maha Kumbh will conclude on February 26 with the final ‘Amrit Snan’ for Mahashivratri. However, a tragic stampede during the previous ‘Amrit Snan’ on January 29 resulted in 30 deaths and 60 injuries, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.
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