The Maha Kumbh witnessed its third grand ‘Amrit Snan’ on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami, drawing hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the globe, all seeking spiritual liberation through the sacred dip.
At the break of dawn, sadhus, including the ash-smeared Nagas from various akharas, began their ceremonial journey towards the Triveni Sangam.
By 4 am, 16.58 lakh devotees had taken the holy dip, with the overall figure of those who took the dip since Janyary 13 reaching 34.97 crore, information director Shishir said, adding the figure included 10 lakh kalpvasis and 6.58 pilgrims.
This holy bathing ritual holds particular significance in the wake of the stampede during the previous ‘Amrit Snan’ on ‘Mauni Amavasya’, which resulted in at least 30 deaths and left 60 others injured.
So far, over 33 crore devotees have taken a dip at the Maha Kumbh and the Uttar Pradesh government expects a footfall of around five crore pilgrims on Monday alone.
Determined to prevent any more untoward incident since ‘Mauni Amavasya’, the Uttar Pradesh government has reinforced security and crowd management measures. With Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally inspecting preparations on Saturday, additional personnel, medical staff, and resources have been deployed to ensure a “zero-error” Amrit Snan on Monday.
As per tradition, the akharas belonging to the three sects—Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen—are taking their holy dip in a pre-determined sequence, with the first group already immersing in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati.
According to the schedule released by the Kumbh Mela authorities, the ‘Amrit Snan’ (formerly known as ‘Shahi Snan’) commenced at 4 am with akharas of the Sanyasi Sect. Leading the sacred procession were Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani, Shri Shambhu Panchayati Atal Akhara, Sri Taponidhi Panchayati Sri Niranjani Akhara, Sri Panchayati Akhara Anand, Shri Panchdashnam Juna Akhara, Shri Panchdashnam Avahan Akhara, and Shri Panchagni Akhara.
Each akhara has been allotted a 40-minute window at the holy waters, with the first procession completing their ritual and returning to their camps by 8.30 am.
Next in line are the akharas of the Bairagi Sect, whose bathing sequence began at 8.25 am. The processions include the All India Shri Panch Nirvani Ani Akhara, All India Shri Panch Digamber Ani Akhara, and All India Shri Panch Nirmohi Ani Akhara, with their turn concluding by 12.35 pm before the final group enters the sacred waters.
The last to perform the ‘Amrit Snan’ will be the Udaseen sect, comprising Shri Panchayati Naya Udaseen Akhara, Shri Panchayati Akhara Bada Udaseen Nirvana, and Shri Panchayati Nirmal Akhara. Their journey towards the river starts at 11 am, with the final ascetics completing their ritual and returning to their tents by 3.55 pm.
Held once every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh has been marked by unparalleled spiritual energy, with lakhs of devotees camping at the fairgrounds. Astrologers believe this year’s ‘Triveni Yog’—a rare celestial alignment occurring once in 144 years—makes the ongoing Kumbh Mela particularly auspicious.
The ‘Amrit Snan’ dates are determined based on specific planetary alignments of the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter, which are believed to amplify the spiritual potency of the sacred rivers. PTI KIS MAN MNK MNK MNK
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