Lakhs of devotees took the first holy dip at Triveni Sangam - the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers - at Prayagraj on Monday marking the start of Maha Kumbh with 'Shahi Snan'.
Besides taking the holy dip, the devotees also performed the sacred ritual as part of the occasion at Mahakumbh Nagar. Even before the start of the 45-day-long festival, devotees had been pouring into the Triveni Sangam with 50 lakh people alone congregating at Mahakumbh on Sunday alone.
This year, the Mahakumbh is considered auspicious due to a rare celestial arrangement, that happens only once in 144 years. Authorities expect over 40 crore people to take the holy dip this year. The first Amrit Snan (auspicious bath) is scheduled to take place on Tuesday on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, during which all akharas will take ceremonial dips in an ordained sequence.
Authorities have spruced up security ahead of the festival, including underwater drones which will monitor every activity under the water 24 hours a day, officials said. The drone, which functions at a very high speed, can keep an eye on the target even in the dark and do reconnaissance up to a depth of 100 metres.
Besides, PAC, NDRF and SDRF teams are also in place to ensure the safety of devotees. Over 700 flagged boats are deployed along with remote life-saving buoys.
A devotee expressed satisfaction with the arrangements. "The facilities are good. Everything, including food and accommodation, is accessible," a devotee Vijayakumar said.
The Uttar Pradesh government has left no stone unturned to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival. A temporary city has been set up at a sprawling 4,000 hectares of open land along the banks of the rivers to house the visitors. Over 150,000 tents have been put up along with 3,000 kitchens, 145,000 restrooms and 99 parking lots.
Authorities are also installing up to 450,000 new electricity connections.
Foreign devotees
Over 1.5 million foreign tourists are expected to visit the Maha Kumbh. A devotee from Brazil, Francisco shared his joy at being able to participate in it. "It was an amazing feeling to be present there. Tthe water at the confluence was cold, but my heart was filled with warmth. I came to India for the first time. I practice Yoga and I am searching for Moksha," he told ANI.
Stefano, another foreigner, said his curiosity about the Maha Kumbh was sparked by his friends from Russia, who had embraced the life of Naga Sadhus after visiting India. "This is my first visit to the Kumbh. Some of my sadhu friends from Russia shared their experiences about the event, which inspired me to come here," he said.
