Ayodhya, Feb 22 (IANS) Around 60 crore pilgrims have so far visited the Prayagraj to take the holy dip at Triveni Sangam while over 1.1 crore pilgrims took the dip on Saturday.
A senior official said that around 65 crore pilgrims will take the holy dip till Maha Shivratri Snan on February 26, making it the largest Kumbh Mela in the country’s history.
The Kumbh Mela which started on January 13 will continue till February 26 on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.
According to the UP government statement, more than 50 lakh people from Nepal, the maternal home of Maa Janaki (Goddess Sita), have bathed in the Triveni Sangam.
The highest turnout occurred on Mauni Amavasya, with nearly 8 crore devotees participating in the holy dip and on Makar Sankranti, around 3.5 crore devotees took a bath during the Amrit Snan.
On Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath once again visited the Maha Kumbh, accompanied by Union Minister and BJP national president J. P. Nadda. Both leaders took a dip at the holy Sangam.
The holy dip of these two prominent leaders in the Triveni Sangam became a centre of attraction among the devotees present at the Maha Kumbh.
The ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is being held after 144 years. It is one of the largest and most important religious programmes in Hinduism.
According to the Maha Kumbh Mela administration, the number of devotees who have bathed at the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh has crossed 600 million. By noon on Saturday over 71.18 lakh devotees had already bathed in the holy Triveni. The last dip of the Maha Kumbh is scheduled to take place on Maha Shivaratri, February 26.
Analysing the total number of devotees who have bathed so far, the highest number, nearly 80 million, bathed during Mauni Amavasya. On Makar Sankranti, 35 million devotees took the Amrit Snan.
On February 1 and January 30, more than 20 million each bathed, and on Paush Purnima, 17 million devotees took the sacred dip. In addition, 25.7 million devotees bathed on Basant Panchami, while over 20 million bathed during Maghi Purnima.
–IANS
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