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Month-long fair begins at Sangam with thousands taking holy dip
Allahabad, Jan 14: Braving biting cold and dense fog, thousands today took a holy dip at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, on the occasion of the Makar Sankranti festival.
Allahabad, Jan 14: Braving biting cold and dense fog, thousands today took a holy dip at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, on the occasion of the Makar
Sankranti festival.
Makar Sankranti marks the first bathing day of the more than month-long Magh mela, which takes place every year on the sandy banks of the River Ganga and Yamuna. The festival will continue till the
Mahashivratri on March 1 .
The other important festivals falling during this period are Paush Purnima on January 18, Maauni Amavashya (February 1), Basant Panchami (February 6) and Maghi Purnima (February 16). This year, the Makar Sanakranti bathing would be held for two days, on January 14 and 15, and about 40 lakh pilgrims were expected to bath on both days, the mela administration claimed.
The district magistrate Devesh Chaturvedi has claimed that the arrangements for the mela have been complete but many works were still incomplete, according to Prayagwal Sabha, an organisation of the sadhus staying in the mela area. A tent city, spread in about 1200 bighas of land, was coming up with the arrival of the sadhus, kalpvasis and akharas.
About five lakh kalpvasis arrive in the mela area from different parts of the country and stay in tents for over a month and take a holy dip in the Ganga two times daily and perform other rituals.
This year, the arrival of the saints, akharas and kalpvasis was thin so far due to continuing severe cold and dense fog. Keeping in view the rush of the pilgrims, the police have restricted entry of heavy vehicles in the city area for two days, today and tomorrow.
Senior Superintendent of Police Vijay Kumar said adequate security arrangements had been made in the mela area.
So far there was no report of any untoward incident, the police said.
Bureau Report
The other important festivals falling during this period are Paush Purnima on January 18, Maauni Amavashya (February 1), Basant Panchami (February 6) and Maghi Purnima (February 16). This year, the Makar Sanakranti bathing would be held for two days, on January 14 and 15, and about 40 lakh pilgrims were expected to bath on both days, the mela administration claimed.
The district magistrate Devesh Chaturvedi has claimed that the arrangements for the mela have been complete but many works were still incomplete, according to Prayagwal Sabha, an organisation of the sadhus staying in the mela area. A tent city, spread in about 1200 bighas of land, was coming up with the arrival of the sadhus, kalpvasis and akharas.
About five lakh kalpvasis arrive in the mela area from different parts of the country and stay in tents for over a month and take a holy dip in the Ganga two times daily and perform other rituals.
This year, the arrival of the saints, akharas and kalpvasis was thin so far due to continuing severe cold and dense fog. Keeping in view the rush of the pilgrims, the police have restricted entry of heavy vehicles in the city area for two days, today and tomorrow.
Senior Superintendent of Police Vijay Kumar said adequate security arrangements had been made in the mela area.
So far there was no report of any untoward incident, the police said.
Bureau Report