Kalpvasis to start arriving by December end
ALLAHABAD: The month-long Kalpvas, which generally stretches to February every year, will wind up in January only as all the five important bathing dates of Magh Mela are falling in the first month of 2018.
Magh Mela will begin with Paush Purnima Snan on January 2. The second Snan would be of Makar Sankranti on January 14th or 15th and the third will be of Mauni Amavasya on January 16.
Over a million devotees come from UP and other states to take a dip on Mauni Amavasya alone. Basant Panchami Snan will fall on January 22. Thereafter, Maghi Purnima Snan will be held on January 31,marking the end of Magh Mela and Kalpvas. Although the Mahashivratri Snan will be on February 13, it is mainly attended by the local crowd as majority of Kalpvasis start returning from Magh Mela area after the Maghi Purnima Snan.
“Many pilgrims observe Kalpvas from one Purnima to another (full moon night), while others observe it from Amavasya to Amavasya.
But generally the Kalpvasis like to return after the Maghi Purnima Snan. As all the major bathing dates are falling in January only this year due to astrological calculations, the Kalpvasis will start arriving in the last week of December.
They have already started contacting us. Many of them have also get their tents allotted in the Magh Mela area,” says Rajendra Prasad Pandey, who helps Kalpvasis in performing different rituals near the Sangam. According to priest Pandit Shyamji Pathak, Magh Mela commences on the day of Makar Sankranti in January, which is the first important bathing day according to the religious Hindu calendar.