Magh Mela: Around 40 lakh take holy dip on Paush Purnima

SANGAM (Allahabad): Braving the chilly weather, lakhs of devotees and Kalpwasis took the holy dip at Sangam on the occasion of Paush Purnima here on Thursday. Mela administration claimed around 40 lakh devotees took holy dip on the pious occasion.
On the first day, as many as 70 tourists too enjoyed the aerial view of Magh Mela from the chopper.
With Paush Poornima snan, the month-long austerity period for Kalpwasis has also started and around one lakh would be staying on the banks of Ganga to perform kalpwas.During this period, Kalpwasis living in tents would be listening to religious discourses, giving alms, eating once a day and performing ritual baths daily to seek salvation.
DM, Allahabad, Sanjay Kumar told TOI, “Devotees began to congregate on the banks since early morning hours and threw themselves into the Ganga water for holy dips." The bathing was continued till late evening.
As Magh Mela administration has constructed as many 17 ghats, devotees and pilgrims found enough space and performed rituals. However, Jal police personnel were seen trying their best to control the crowds.
Since the number of devotees kept on swelling, policemen on duty kept on asking devotees not to spend too much time on 17 ghats. Interestingly, the chilly weather conditions could not dampen the enthusiasm and spirit of the devotees who arrived from across the country and abroad to witness the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati amid chanting har har gange”.
SSP, Allahabad, Shalabh Mathur said that the first snan of Magh Mela passed off peacefully. He further maintained “elaborate security arrangements were made at all static points and cops had maintained a close watch on mela campus”. The Mela police had deployed around 3,000 policemen including battalions of PAC. The volunteers of Bhoole Bhatke shivir with the help of policemen also reunited as many as 60 people with their families.
Asked what the holy dip meant to him and his family, Pratapgarh-based Arun Kumar said, "When you come to banks of Ganga, one could only realise the inner strength and devotion to stay here and this was the only reason to attract millions of devotees. He also added that devotion has undoubtedly helped people come over their worries and even help to cure diseases as well. " Ashok Pandey from Satna said, "It's a Sangam of faith and spirituality which in fact is maintaining the humanity alive."