Maha Kumbh: Over 40 crore pilgrims have taken dip at Sangam

Mahakumbh Nagar, Feb 7 (PTI) The number of pilgrims who have taken a holy dip at the Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh surpassed the 40 crore-mark on Friday, the Uttar Pradesh government said.

It said 48 lakh devotees had taken a dip at the Sangam — the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers — on Friday.

The Maha Kumbh concludes on February 26.

Pilgrims from around India and the world continue to arrive in large numbers to take a holy dip despite the three sacred Amrit Snan festivals — on Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya and Basant Panchami — concluding.

The highest turnout was for the Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya, when eight crore devotees took a dip, the state government said.

During the Amrit Snan on Makar Sankranti, 3.5 crore devotees took a dip while the Basant Panchami ‘snan’ witnessed 2.57 crore pilgrims.

Additionally, more than two crore devotees took a dip on January 30 and February 1 each and another 1.7 crore on Paush Purnima.

Political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, have taken a dip.

Actors Hema Malini and Anupam Kher, Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal, and choreographer Remo D’Souza, among other celebrities, also participated in the ‘snan’.

President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to visit Prayagraj to participate in the sacred ritual at the Sangam on Monday, the state government said.