The sacred sands of Prayagraj’s Magh Mela are set to witness an unprecedented influx as Basant Panchami’s holy bath on January 23 coincides with Achala Saptami and a weekend surge. Officials project 3.5 crore pilgrims converging at the Triveni Sangam, the hallowed meeting point of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati.
In a display of meticulous planning, the mela zone’s 24 ghats—spanning 3.5 km—are primed for the deluge. Water purity, hygiene, and infrastructure upgrades promise a safe experience. Pontoon bridges streamline pilgrim circulation: Nos. 3, 5, 7 for outbound to Jhunsi; 4 and 6 inbound; with Nos. 1 and 2 reserved for contingencies under tight security.
Traffic diversions kick in pre-district entry for non-essential vehicles, as per Mela Police SP Neeraj Pandey. ‘Crowd control, traffic flow, ghat security, and evacuation top our agenda,’ he affirmed. The new Yamuna bridge closes on bath day, routing all via the old structure.
J्योतिषीय calculations peg Panchami from late Thursday 2:28 AM to Friday 1:56 AM next, perfect for ritual baths and yellow alms. January 25’s Achala Saptami invites ann bhandaras, drawing families seeking blessings for progeny.
As Mela Officer Rishiraj noted, this phase eclipses even Mouni Amavasya in scale. Enhanced logistics transform potential pandemonium into organized devotion, cementing Magh Mela’s status as India’s premier faith gathering.
