Mahakumbh Nagar: Over one crore devotees bathed in the sacred Sangam on Monday. A record turnout is expected for the first ‘Amrit Snan’ of Mahakumbh Mela 2025, scheduled for Tuesday, on Makar Sankranti. Seers and Naga Sadhus reached Sangam early in the morning for the holy dip. All 13 Akharas of the Sanatan Dharma have been assigned the date, order and time for their respective holy bath on January 14.
The first Amrit Snan of Mahakumbh holds significance as It follows the major ‘snan’ held on Monday at Sangam during Paush Poornima. The event is unique as it involves the participation of ‘Akharas’ on Makar Sankranti – a hindu festival marking the shift of the Sun from the Southern to the Northern hemisphere.
MahaKumbh 2025, the world’s largest religious gathering, has begun in Prayagraj. The 45-day spiritual event spans a massive 10,000-acre area. The Uttar Pradesh government has made extensive arrangements for the Mela. This includes 1.5 lakh toilets, 15,000 sanitation workers, 2,500 Ganga Seva Doots (volunteers), and 1.5 lakh tents, ANI reported.
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Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Ravindra Puri told PTI that the Amrit Snan would start at 5:30 am on Tuesday.
Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani and Shri Shambhu Panchayati Atal Akhara took the first Amrit Snan on Tuesday. They left their camp around 5:15 am and reached the ghat with their massive processions. The Akharas have 40 minutes each for bathing.
Shri Taponidhi Panchayati Shri Niranjani Akhara and Shri Panchayati Akhara Anand will be the second ones to take Amrit Snan. In the third place, three Sanyasi Akharas will take Amrit Snan and they include Shri Panchdashnam Juna Akhara, Shri Panchdashnam Aawahan Akhara and Shri Panchagni Akhara.
Mahant Ravindra Puri stated that the commonly used terms ‘shahi snan’ and ‘peshwai’ for the Kumbh have been renamed as ‘Amrit Snan’ and ‘Chhavni Pravesh,’ PTI reported.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Vaibhav Krishna told ANI that the Sangam would be divided into two sections—one for the Akharas’ holy dip and the other for devotees.
The state government has installed 69,000 LED lights, including solar hybrid streetlights, and 2,750 cameras for crowd monitoring. A 24×7 Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) will oversee the event.
There are 10 digital lost-and-found centres and parking facilities spread over 1,800 hectares. Around 25,000 workers are managing operations on the ground.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has set up a floating police chowki to assist devotees. Over 10,000 security personnel, including local police and paramilitary forces, are deployed for the 45-day Mahakumbh.
(With agency inputs)