About 5 crore people had taken the holy dip in the Sangam by 5 pm Monday, estimated adminstration officials, suggesting it was a new record of human congregation anywhere.
Thousands of devotees from various parts of the world braved the cold and fog on Monday morning to take a holy dip in the Sangam - the confluence of three holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati - on the occasion of "Mauni Amavasya".
Traditionally the biggest of all the sacred bathing days in the 50-day long Mela, Mauni Amavasya this time holds greater significance as it falls on a Monday and that too during the Kumbh – a rather rare combination on many accounts.
About 5 crore people had taken the holy dip in the Sangam by 5 pm Monday, estimated adminstration officials, suggesting it was a new record of human congregation anywhere.
In 2013, during the 12-yearly Kumbh congregation here, the turnout on Mauni Amavasya day was over 3 crore, the highest till then, they added.
The record-breaking spree of holy dips at the 40 bathing 'ghats' of the Sangam began soon as the clock struck the midnight intervening Sunday and Monday, heralding the auspicious hour.
The day began as early as 3 am for many devotees who were seen making a beeline for the Sangam – the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati -- on foot as entry of vehicles was restricted in the vicinity of Kumbh Nagari, the sprawling 32000-hectare township that has come up on the banks of the river.
Though ‘Mauni' means ‘silent', the chants of ‘Har Har Ganga' and Ganga maiya ki Jai' grew only louder at the break of dawn when Naga Sadhus, a martial order of ascetics who roam naked with ash smeared on their bodies, dancing and singing moved in a procession with religious leaders sitting atop decorated chariots for the holy dip at the Sangam.
Many devotees take up a vow of silence on this day.
(Inputs from PTI)
1. Sangam turns into biggest confluence of human faith as 5 cr devotees take dip
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The record-breaking spree of holy dips at the 40 bathing 'ghats' of the Sangam began soon as the clock struck the midnight intervening Sunday and Monday, heralding the auspicious hour.
With advent of the auspicious hour, lakhs of people waded into the Sangam, dazzling with over 40,000 LED lights and began taking dips, presenting a mesmerizing, wave-like picture of human heads submerging and emerging together from the water amid the chants of 'Har Har Gangey'.
(Photo by: AFP PHOTO / Uttar Pradesh Information and Public Relations Department)
2. Day began as early as 3 am for many devotees
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This aerial handout photo taken on Mauni Amavasya and released by the Uttar Pradesh Information and Public Relations Department shows Indian Hindu devotees taking a holy dip at Sangam.
(Photo by: AFP PHOTO / Uttar Pradesh Information and Public Relations Department)
3. Mauni Amavasya on Monday- a rare combination
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Led by ascetics Hindus since time immemorial, the sacred bath on Mauni Amawasya at Kumbh, described as an "act of faith" aimed at "cleansing of one's sins and seeking divine blessings" has been attracting pilgrims across the globe.
The busiest among all sacred bathing days in the 50-day long Kumbh Mela, Mauni Amavasya this time had greater significance as it fell on a Monday, a rather rare combination in many ways, explained some seers here.
(Photo by: AFP PHOTO / Uttar Pradesh Information and Public Relations Department)
4. 'Yeh Kumbh nahi aasan'
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Yeh Kumbh nahi aasan, bas itna samajh lijiye; thanda hai pani aur dubaki lagana hai (The Kumbh is not an easy task, the water is cold and you have to take the plunge), said Ravish Vajpayee, an aspiring poet, who was just out after taking the dip at one of the ghats here.
(Photo by: AFP PHOTO / Uttar Pradesh Information and Public Relations Department)
5. Many devotees perform 'pind dan'
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Beside observing silence, many devotees perform 'pind dan' on this day for the souls of their ancestors to attain peace and to seek forgiveness and blessings from them.
Offering foods and clothes to the poor and needy is considered another important ritual of the day.
(Photo by: AFP PHOTO / Uttar Pradesh Information and Public Relations Department)
