Magh Mela Begins in Prayagraj; Lakhs of Devotees Take Holy Dip in Icy Sangam Waters

On the occasion of 'Paush Purnima,' the 44-day Magh Mela began on January 6 with approximately 2 lakh devotees taking a refreshing dip in the waters of the holy Sangam. Devotees began flocking to the ghats at 4 a.m., despite foggy weather and bitter cold. At 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., the number of devotees was 2.05 lakh, 3.25 lakh, and 4.5 lakh, respectively.

The day also marks the beginning of the month-long Kalpwas, during which thousands of devotees live in seclusion on the banks of the Sangam until Maghi Purnima (February 5) and perform rituals. According to Magh Mela officials, attendance was low in the early morning hours at all 14 ghats, but increased after 11 a.m.

According to mela officials, there has been a moderate rush at Sangam ghat since the early hours, and devotees from all over the country have flocked to the mela campus until the evening hours.

The day was significant for the Kalpwasis, who had arrived on the banks of the Sangam determined to spend the month in the open without any worldly pleasure. They will spend the month (January 6 to February 5) in small tents, paying daily obeisance to Ganga, listening to religious discourses, giving alms, eating one meal a day, and performing ritual baths to break free from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

Many devotees were seen entering waist-deep water and taking holy dips, including saints, seers, and mahants.

Pithadhishwar swami Abhay Chaitanya Falahari Mauni Ji Maharaj's "dandwat parikrama" remained a major draw for devotees. He was performing chakravarti dandwat parikrama for the 588th time, wishing for grand temples like Ayodhya in Mathura and Kashi.

A large number of female devotees from across the country also took a holy dip in Sangam, the confluence of three rivers- the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati- amidst chants of ‘Jai Maa Gange and Har Har Mahadev.’ "Devotees took holy dip in 'sarvarth sidhi yog' period on Paush purmina to seek salvation," as per religious scholar. Kalpwasis have also begun their month-long Kalpwas."

Meanwhile, cops outfitted with the latest security technology remained vigilant throughout the day. For crowd and traffic management, the mela police had deployed approximately 5,000 officers, including ATS commandos and paramilitary personnel. On Friday, the police restricted the number of vehicles permitted to enter the mela grounds and worked on diversion schemes to manage the flow of devotees.