Prayagraj,

18 Jan (HS): According to authorities, more than 1.5 crore devotees took holy

dips in the Ganga and at Sangam by 11 a.m. on Sunday to commemorate Mauni

Amavasya, the biggest bathing festival of the current Magh Mela here. According

to a top mela administration official, devotees began coming at the Ganga and Triveni-Sangam

ghats around midnight, braving deep fog, and continued to flood in from all

directions till the early morning. Over 1.5 crore devotees took a plunge on

Makar Sankranti, while nearly 85 lakh people bathed in the Ganga and Sangam on

Ekadashi.

According

to Divisional Commissioner Saumya Agrawal, reflective tapes have been put on

poles across the mela region to assist pilgrims in navigating appropriately,

and civil defence volunteers have been deployed to advice devotees. She stated

that the Magh Mela has been extended across 800 hectares and divided into seven

areas. More than 25,000 toilets have been erected in the mela region, and over

3,500 sanitation staff have been assigned to ensure cleanliness. Agrawal

further stated that a tent city has been established for visitors and pilgrims

who seek to do short-term Kalpvas (purification rites), complete with

meditation and yoga facilities. To facilitate seamless transportation, bike

taxis and golf carts have been provided.

Neeraj

Pandey, Superintendent of Police (Magh Mela), stated that around 10,000 police

officers have been deployed throughout the mela region to guarantee security

and smooth movement of devotees. This year, 42 temporary parking zones with a

capacity for over one lakh cars were established to handle crowds and traffic. He

stated that a total of 12,100 feet-long bathing ghats had been built for the

Magh Mela 2025-26, complete with all the basic facilities.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi