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Religious groups upset as civic body merges all kunds just before Kumbh Mela

The first Shahi Snan or the royal bath at the Kumbh Mela this year is scheduled for August 29.

nashik, kumbh mela, nashik kumbh mela, kumbh unrest, kumbh rush, mumbai news, city news, local news, maharashtra news, Indian Express The first Shahi Snan or the royal bath at the Kumbh Mela this year is scheduled for August 29.

The demolition of the barriers separating the Ramkund with the Sitakund and the Hanumankund in the Godavari River in Nashik, in order to create a single kund for devotees to take a dip in, has incited anger among religious groups, who are unhappy with the civic administration’s move.

While religious groups said that the move has hurt their religious sentiments, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has defended their action by saying that it was done for safety purposes and after consultation with all stakeholders.

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The first Shahi Snan or the royal bath at the Kumbh Mela this year is scheduled for August 29, and according to Hindu mythology, the Ramkund is meant for men to bathe in, the Sitakund for women and the Hanuman Kund for people of the ‘sevak’ class, said a religious group head.

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Last Thursday, the NMC extended the 500 square feet Ramkund, demolishing the barriers separating it from the Sitakund and the Hanumankund, and widened it to 2,056 square feet. “We have told people about the significances of each of the three kunds, and merging them into one will be fooling the devotees. They travel a long way and come from all parts of the country. They wait to bathe in these kunds for 12 years,” said 83-year-old Santosh Giri, the head priest at the Godavari Bhagirathi Temple.

Satish Shukla, president of the Purohit Sangh in Nashik, added, “This is not just a common dip in the Godavari River. It is a dip that washes away the sins of the people. The municipal authorities have demolished the barriers without our consent, and have hurt our religious sentiments.”

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Praveen Gedam, the Nashik Municipal Commissioner, said that the sole reason behind the move was to make sure that no lives were lost, as nearly one crore devotees are expected to visit the Kumbh this year.

During the previous Kumbh Mela in 2003, 39 pilgrims had died and 57 were injured in a stampede that occurred during the Shahi Snan.

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Gedam denied allegations of the demolition being conducted without the consent of religious groups.

“Each and every stakeholder was spoken with and they were all mostly in agreement,” he said.

First uploaded on: 20-08-2015 at 02:57 IST
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