The 44-day Magh Mela is set to begin today with approximately 25 lakh pilgrims, including scores of kalpwasis, expected to take a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of Yamuna, Ganga and mythological Saraswati, on the occasion of Paush Purnima.
In wake of the expected high turn, the Magh Mela administration and police on Sunday claimed that elaborate arrangements have been put in place for the first holy bath.
Apart from holy dip, donations, charities etc would be the main features of the sacred day. Devotees not only from UP but neighbouring states like MP, Bihar and Jharkhand too have arrived in Sangam City braving the chilly weather conditions. It is believed that all wishes come true on this pious day.
Priests claim “Paush Purnima marks the beginning of a month-long austerity period which is observed during Magha month. Priests further maintained “Purnima thiti began on January 4 at 9:22 am and end on January 5 at 10:23.”
During the entire Magh month, kalpwasis stay on the bank and take early morning bath to earn ‘punya’. The daily bathing starts from Paush Purnima and ends on Magha Purnima. “It is believed that the holy dip on the auspicious day of Paush Purnima liberates the soul from the cycle of birth and death.”
The Mela police and administration have claimed to have put all arrangements in place to ensure basic facilities to pilgrims and devotees arriving for Paush Purnima Snan. Around 3,000 cops, including four companies of para military forces have been assigned the task.
Traffic police would impose restrictions as and when required based on the crowd on the first bathing day. Besides, vehicles’ entry on the mela campus too has been banned.
Meanwhile, officials maintained that over 50,000 kalpwasis would be the main attraction of the day. Separate arrangements have been made for vehicles and pedestrians to prevent chaotic situation on pontoon bridges. Pedestrians would have the first right to walk on pontoon bridges and Sangam area on the bathing day.
Mela authorities also claimed that other facilities in terms of medical & health, transportation, sanitation, bathing ghats, security, fire services, ration distribution, lost & found, potable water, pollution control, milk supply and other civic amenities have been upgraded.
Secondly, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place with adequate police forces, including STF, ATS, bomb defusal squad, anti-sabotage squad patrolling on ghats to ensure safety and security of mela visitors.
Bathing would take place on all 12 ghats with adequate strength of Jal police also being deployed to check cases of drowning. At each and every ghat, barricading has been done and warning boards installed.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Kapil Dixit, TNN / January 04th, 2015