Prayagraj: A massive crowd of saints, devotees and akhadas thronged Prayagraj on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami to mark the third Amrit Snan of Maha Kumbh 2025. More than 1.65 million devotees took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam by 4 am on Monday, marking an important spiritual milestone in the grand religious gathering.
Record-breaking participation in Maha Kumbh 2025
The Uttar Pradesh Information Department said that the number of devotees has crossed the milestone of 34 crores (340 million) since the Maha Kumbh began on January 13. These devotees include more than 10 lakh Kalpvasis who performed spiritual penance for a month. With five crore devotees expected to arrive on Monday, the Uttar Pradesh government implemented elaborate security and crowd management.
Security and crowd control arrangements
Police personnel, administrative officials and security forces were deployed across the mela area to ensure hassle-free proceedings. The Kumbh Command and Control Centre monitored the entire event through over 3,000 CCTV cameras installed across 25 sectors, 30 pontoon bridges and high traffic barricades. This ensured that crowd control remained smooth and crores of devotees could safely participate in the holy ritual.
Holy rituals and Akhada procession
It began at 4 am with major Akhadas, including Mahanirvani, Shri Shambhu Panchayati Atal, Niranjani, Juna and Panchagni Akhadas. The presence of Naga sadhus adds to the spiritual fervour of the occasion as they are in deep penance.
As per tradition, each Akhada was allowed 40 minutes for holy bath. Amrit Snan for Bairagi Akhadas like All India Shri Panch Nirvani Ani Akhada, All India Shri Panch Digambar Ani Akhada and All India Shri Panch Nirmohi Ani Akhada began at 8:25 am. It was already announced that the Akhadas of the Udasi sect will take the last bath by 11 am. After this, the march will resume in the form of a grand procession towards Varanasi.
Significance of Basant Panchami
Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami, Shri Panchami or Saraswati Panchami, is the festival of spring. It falls on the fifth day of the Hindu month Magha. The festival holds great significance in the Hindu tradition as it is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and arts. The day also marks the beginning of preparations for the festival of Holi, as it is celebrated 40 days later.
Mahakumbh 2025: Grand religious gathering
The Maha Kumbh Mela continues, which was inaugurated on January 13 and will continue till February 26, 2025. With record participation and spiritual fervour, the event is still one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. And with millions expected to visit over the next few weeks, Maha Kumbh 2025 is a symbol of faith, devotion and tradition.
For devotees and spiritual seekers, this once in a lifetime event offers a rare opportunity to immerse oneself in divine blessings and participate in rituals that have been practiced for centuries. As this grand event progresses, Prayagraj continues to be the epicentre of religious and spiritual awakening, attracting millions of people from across the globe.
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