2nd bathing festival of Paush Purnima at Prayagraj Kumbh Mela on Jan. 21

Speed Post News Netork

New Delhi : All arrangements are in place for second bathing festival of Paush Purnima at Prayagraj Kumbh Mela on January 21, 2019. One month long Paush Purnima to Maghi Purnima Kalpvas begins from January 21. Devotees spend one month on the banks of Sangam in worshipping their Lords and taking holy dip in the river Ganga and Sangam- the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati.

Kalpvasees are one of the major part of the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela- the world’s largest congregation of humanity at one place.  On second bathing festival Shahi Snan of Akharas does not take place. The  first Shahi Snan or royal bathing of Akharas was held on the Makar Sankranti on January 15, which marked the beginning of Kumbh.

Massive arrangements have been made by Mela administration for  peaceful second bathing and elaborate security arrangements are also in place. Administration has announced ban on the entry of vehicles into Mela area since morning on January 20. Large number of devotees and Kalpavasees are continuously reaching the Mela area. Most of the Kalpavasees stay at the camps of priests of Prayag, saints and seers.

Newly developed Kinnar Akhara will take bath on January 21. Eight kilometre long Ghat has been developed at Sangam for  bathing. Similarly 35 bathing areas have been developed on the banks of river Ganga. The state government has advised the VVIPs not to come at Kumbh Mela on bathing festival as no protocol will be permissible to any one on day of bathing festival. Entry of commercial vehicles has been prohibited in Prayagraj city. Fortyone Special Trains and four thousand buses have been pressed into service to ferry the devotees. First time shuttle buses have been pressed into service to ferry devotees from seven entry points of Prayagraj town where makeshift bus stations have been set up at Prayagraj for the vehicles coming from Lucknow road, Varanasi road, Jaunpur Road, Mirzapur road, Kanpur road, Rewa road and Banda road. Only shuttle buses are allowed inside the Mela up to sector four.

CEO Prayagraj Mela Authority Vijay Kiran Anand has said that about 60 lakh devotees are expected on second bathing festival on January 21, according to a PIB release.