Curated by: Rajeev Bhatt
Visuals: DPR Uttar Pradesh
A day after over 1 crore people took a dip in the sacred Sangam, a record number of devotees are expected to take part in the first ‘Amrit Snan’ of the Mahakumbh Mela 2025 on Tuesday, January 14, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. Seers and Naga Sadhus arrived for the holy dip at Sangam early in the morning.
Ash-smeared Naga Sadhus or Hindu holy men of different akharas (monastic Hindu order), walked during a religious procession as they head to take a dip in Sangam, the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers, for Shahi Snan or ‘royal bath’, on the occasion of Maha Kumbh Mela festival, in Prayagraj on January 14, 2025.
Devotees gathered to watch the grand procession of Naga Sadhus.Naga Sadhus of Panchayati Nirvani Akhara took the nectar bath in their royal form with spear, trident and swords. Sages and saints joined the procession riding on horses and chariots, which spread devotion and spiritual energy in the entire area. Devotees were running towards Ganga since midnight with a bundle on their head and a bag in their side.
There was a rush of devotees in Nagavasuki temple and Sangam area since early morning. Elders, women and youth, all carrying bundles on their heads, were seen moving towards the Sangam full of faith. The reverence for bathing was such that people started taking a dip in the holy waters of Ganga from the very night itself. Strict security arrangements at every nook and corner, mounted police marched.
The administration made concrete arrangements for the safety of the devotees in Mahakumbh Nagar.
Vehicles were thoroughly checked by placing barricades on every route. Barricades were put up on every road and vehicles were thoroughly checked. The entire event remained peaceful and organised with the deployment of police and security forces at every nook and corner. DIG Kumbh Mela Vaibhav Krishna, SSP Rajesh Dwivedi and the police team marched on foot in the fair area with horses and paved the way for the Akhada sadhus going for Amrit Snan.
Chants of Har Har Mahadev and Jai Shri Ram were heard on the bathing ghats spread over an area of 12 kilometres. Along with the sadhus taking Amrit Snan, common devotees also took a dip of their faith. A huge crowd of devotees was seen from all around for Ganga Snan around Sangam. Crores of devotees took a dip in the bone-chilling cold even before the first ray of light emerged.Chants of Har Har Mahadev and Jai Shri Ram echoed in the 12 kilometer long ghat area.