Kumbh Mela begins with shahi snan
ALLAHABAD:NAGA sadhus (warrior ascetics) rushed towards the Sangam amid the chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and ‘Ganga maiya ki jai’ for the first ‘shahi snan’ to celebrate Makar Sankranti marking the beginning of the 50-day Kumbh Mela, world’s biggest religious congregation which began in Allahabad Tuesday.
For the first time in history, seers of the Kinnar Akhada, led by Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi, arrived with Juna Akhada saints for royal bath.
Mahamandaleshwars, mandaleshwars and members of Ramta Panch reached Sangam on gold and silver chariots while thousands of Naga sadhus arrived in palanquins and on foot to the accompaniment of music by dozens of bands from various states.
Since Monday night, the Kumbh Mela area was abuzz with activity as akhada chiefs and Naga sadhus prepared themselves for the first bath.
Around 3 am, they tent city woke up to sounds of drums to indicate pilgrims of the auspicious hour. Naga sadhus smeared holy ash on their bodies and opened their long matted hair decorating it with ‘rudraksha’ (sacred beads) and marigold flowers for the shahi snan.
Security personnel and paramilitary forces had a tough time in controlling the crowd as they kept crossing the barricading. By end of day, about 20 million people had taken the ritual bath in the holy waters of the Sangam here, administration officials estimated.
Pilgrims caught a rare glimpse of the ancient symbols of presiding deity of Juna Akhada Bhagwan Dattatreya during the first ‘shahi snan’.