Maha Kumbh Mela to conclude today
Hundreds of thousands of devotees gathered at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on Wednesday for the final holy dip of the Maha Kumbh Mela on the occasion of Mahashivratri, as the six-week-long religious congregation is set to conclude later today.
Mahashivratri marks the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds profound significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela, held once every 12 years and believed to grant ‘moksha’ to the devotees.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a pivotal role in the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), which led to the emergence of the Amrit Kumbh (nectar pitcher)–the very essence of the Kumbh Mela.
The occasion drew massive crowds of devotees to the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, revered as a holy site by Hindus. According to government data, by 2 am today, over 11.66 lakh devotees immersed themselves in the Sangam. This number surged to 25.64 lakh within the next two hours and nearly doubled by 6 am, with 41.11 lakh devotees taking a dip.
Over one crore devotees are expected to throng Sangam on Wednesday.
Ahead of the snan, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his wishes to devotees on the occasion of the final holy dip and offered his prayers.