Devotees from various states and around the world have been immersing themselves in the spiritual atmosphere of the holy confluence.
More than seven crore pilgrims have taken a dip at the Sangam — the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers — from January 11 to January 16 on the occasion of the Maha Kumbh Mela, according to an official statement.
According to it, more than 30 lakh devotees bathed in the sacred waters on Thursday alone, seeking virtue and divine blessings.
The state government had anticipated that over 45 crore people will attend the Maha Kumbh this time. The early figure of 7 crore pilgrims in the initial days of the religious congregation strongly indicates this projection to be true, the statement said.
Devotees from various states and around the world have been immersing themselves in the spiritual atmosphere of the holy confluence.
The statement said that before the start of the Maha Kumbh, approximately 45 lakh people bathed in the sangam on January 11 while January 12 saw a record 65 lakh devotees.
On the first day of the Maha Kumbh, a record 1.70 crore pilgrims took the holy dip and on January 14, around 3.50 crore people bathed in the Sangam. In the first two days of Mahakumbh alone, more than 5.20 crore devotees took the holy dip, it said.
On Wednesday, a 21-member delegation from 10 countries arrived at Arail Tent City in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj to take a holy dip at Triveni Sangam.
The delegation, invited by the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, will take a sacred dip at Triveni Sangam on Thursday.
Speaking to ANI, Denesh Persaud from Guyana, expressed his joy and fulfilment after taking a holy dip in the River Ganges.”It’s a dream come true. I always wanted to come here and take a holy dip in the River Ganges. I have fulfilled that wish,” Persaud said.
Sally El Azab from United Arab Emirates, is among the many international pilgrims who have travelled to Prayagraj, to experience the Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering in the world.
The visiting group included representatives from Fiji, Finland, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This showcases the global interest in this spiritual event.
The statement noted that the Mahakumbh, organised under the leadership of the Yogi government, has drawn global attention this year. Their accommodations were arranged at the Tent City in Arail, an initiative by the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation.
Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13, will continue until February 26. The next key bathing dates include January 29 (Mauni Amavasya—Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami—Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)