More Than 1 Crore Devotees Take Last Holy Dip at Kumbh Mela 2019
One crore devotees are expected to attend the Kumbh Mela on its last day.
Sangam – the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati – witnesses the last dip of the Kumbh Mela on Mahashivratri on Monday, 4 March. More than one crore devotees took holy dip in the Sangam till Monday evening, the officials said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister JP Nadda and Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura Jishnu Dev Varma took a holy dip at the Kumbh Mela on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
PM Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind took to Twitter to send Mahashivratri greetings. Film and TV personalities also wished their followers on the auspicious day.
- The Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj started on 15 January
- Heavy security has been deployed, including ATS commandos, anti-sabotage commandos with snipers, bomb disposal units, sniffer dog squads and intelligence units
- From Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple in Maharashtra’s Nashik to Shivkhori Temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, devotees thronged temples to offer their prayers
- The domestic equity and currency derivatives markets are closed on account of a holiday
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Significance of Mahashivratri
Mahashivratri marks the culmination of the Kumbh – and the prominent bathing days.
Explaining the significance of Mahashivratri, Ashutosh Varshney of Grah Nakshtram, who has set up his camp in Prayagraj, said, "This time Mahashivratri is falling on a Monday – the day dedicated to Lord Shiva. This has happened after a long time."
The Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, was held in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad from 15 January on Mahashivratri to 4 March this year.
The Kumbh draws lakhs of pilgrims over the course of approximately 55 auspicious days to bathe at the Sangam. It is celebrated four times over a course of 12 years.
(With inputs from PTI)
President, PM Send 'Good Wishes' on Mahashivratri
Both President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent their greetings on Mahashivratri. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also sent his greetings on Twitter.
Mahashivratri Wishes Flood Twitter
Leaders took to Twitter to express their wishes on Mahashivratri.
Kumbh Enters Guinness Book of World Records
The Kumbh Mela 2019 secured place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest crowd management, largest sanitation drive and largest painting exercise of public sites, the government said on Sunday, 3 March, as reported by IANS.
"A three-member team from the Guinness World Records visited Prayagraj for the purpose. Exercises at a large-scale were performed before the team for four days, from 28 February to 3 March.
"Around 503 shuttle buses were pressed into service on the highway in one go for the team on 28 February. Several people participated in a painting exercise on 1 March and 10,000 workers engaged in cleaning at the Kumbh, all performing their duties together," the Ministry of Culture said in a statement.
Celebs, Sportspersons Send Mahashivratri Wishes
VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina and Amitabh Bachchan were among those cricketers and actors who wished their Twitter followers on Mahashivratri. Sand Artist Sudarshan Patnaik also tweeted some of his art work of Lord Shiva, wishing “good health” to his followers.
Actor Kartik Aaryan, too, wished his Twitter fans.
Kumbh Mela or Political Battlefield?
Weeks ahead of the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, the Kumbh Mela area in Prayagraj resembled sort of a political battlefield as flags bearing symbols similar to that of political parties were seen dotting the massive makeshift Kumbh Nagri.
The flags, hoisted by 'teerth purohits', help visitors in identifying priests at the Mela. Some of the flags have photographs of an elephant, a cycle and a palm, closely resembling the election symbols of Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and the Congress.
"The flags bear symbols of teerth purohits. In fact, this is their identity, be it a cycle, an elephant or a picture of palm," Narendra Giri, Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president, told PTI. "These symbols are hundreds of years old and have nothing to do with any political party," Giri stressed.
In Pics: Devotees Take Holy Dip on Mahashivratri
Kerala Temples Witness Heavy Rush
Hindu shrines in Kerala, dedicated to Lord Shiva, witnessed heavy rush of devotees on Monday, 4 March, on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.
Cutting across religious and gender barriers, devotees including women, children and elderly, thronged temples since early morning to take part in special poojas and rituals to mark the auspicious annual festival.
Long queues and heavy rush resulted in traffic snarls near many temples including the famed Sree Kandeswara shrine here in the morning.
Security arrangements were made at all major Lord Shiva shrines, including Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur, Maha Deva shrine in Vaikom and Ernakulam Shiva temple, to ensure smooth darshan for devotees, authorities said.
Arrangements have been put in place on the banks of River Periyar in Aluva in Ernakulam for 'Balitharppanam', a ritual in which people pay obeisance to their ancestors.
80 Lakh Devotees Take Holy Dip Till Late Afternoon
Even before midnight, devotees from different walks of life and parts of the country began to pour into Sangam city for the holy dip on Mahashivratri.
Till late afternoon, as many as 80 lakh devotees took a dip in the Sangam area, Kumbh Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand said, reported PTI.
As the visitors were heading towards the ghats, chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' filled the air, albeit the occasional police announcement.
Over 1 Crore Devotees Take Holy Dip in Sangam
More than one crore devotees took holy dip in the Sangam area till Monday evening, officials said, according to PTI.
"Till evening, as many as 1.10 crore devotees have taken a dip in the Sangam area. With Mahashivratri's snaan, so far more than 24.05 crore devotees have taken a dip during this year's Kumbh," Kumbh Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand said.
UP Sugarcane Development and Sugar Mills Minister Suresh Rana took a dip in the Sangam, and later visited the media centre.
A UP government spokesperson said, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will participate in the formal closing ceremony of the mega event on Tuesday, 5 March.
It's a Divine Experience: Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister JP Nadda and Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura Jishnu Dev Varma took a holy dip at the Kumbh Mela on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
“It’s a divine experience,” Fadnavis said, after taking a holy bath at the Sangam.
VHP Workers Celebrate Mahashivratri, Promote Ram Temple in Kolkata
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Bengal unit workers Monday, took part in the Mahashivratri celebrations across the state to create awareness about construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, a senior VHP leader said, reported PTI.
"The aim of organising this programme was to create awareness among the masses about Ram Temple at Ayodhya. There has been huge response among the masses," claimed VHP State Secretary Sachindranath Singha.
VHP's youth wing, the Bajrang Dal and women wing, the Durga Vahini also played an active part in organising processions and rallies across the state.
The VHP organised programmes at several parts of the state, called 'Jalabhishek' - "Ek lota pani Ram ke naam" (One mug of water in the name of Lord Ram) on the occasion.