The Holy bath on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya that began early this morning at Sangam - the confluence of Ganga Yamuna and mythical Saraswati at Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh is continuing peacefully. According to Mela officials more than five crore devotees took holy bath till 5.00 PM. As of now 12 crore 50 lakh devotees have taken the holy dip since the mela began on Makar Sankranti day on the 15th of January.
Mela administration had expected around three crore gathering today but it has surpassed, breaking all old records. All security arrangements have been put in place for third and most important bathing festival. This was the second Royal Bathing- Shahi Snan Parv at which saints and seers of different Akharas took holy dip.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has greeted people at Mauni Amavasya. He has said
around 15 crore pilgrims will take holy bath during 49 day long Kumbh Mela festival ending on 4th March.
Some of the the devotees keep muted while bathing and continue it day long on Mauni Amavasya. The importance of this Parv has increased multifold as this Mauni Amavasya falls on Monday after several years during Kumbh bathing.
The devotees started reaching Sangam area since yesterday .Forty Snan Ghats have been prepared along 8 kilometers length to manage huge crowd of pilgrims. Display and Dance of saints and seers of different Akharas were centre of attraction of people. Union minister and Mahamandaleshwar of Akhara Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, and Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya alongwith dozens MPs and MLAs were amongst those who took holy dip yesterday.