Magh Mela-2021 to be a scaled down affair

The Magh Mela, slated to be held in Prayagraj between January and March 2021, will be on a much smaller scale as compared to previous years.

This was decided after the visit of principal secretary (urban development) Deepak Kumar to the city on Wednesday and a follow-up meeting with the district administration, officials said.

According to the district administration’s proposal, the area of the annual religious fair will be reduced as compared to past editions, as there would be fewer sectors this time. Besides, there would be just two pontoon bridges and devotees will not be allowed to cross over to the other side of the Ganga, they add.

At Magh Mela-2020, there were six sectors and five pontoon bridges. Spanning from Nagvasuki temple of Daraganj to Chatnaag and Arail towards Naini area, the mela was spread in an area of around 325 hectares—which was 50 hectares more than 2018. The 43-day religious fair had begun with Paush Purnima snan on January 10 and had culminated with Maha Shivratri bathing on February 21, 2020. However, despite all the constraints, the administration has clarified that the requirement of land and other amenities for the seer community will be given top priority. Land and several facilities at the mela area will be given only to seers and members of the Prayagwal Sabha. Apart from this, no land will be given to any institution in the upcoming Magh Mela.

District magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami proposed building only two pontoon bridges this time with the aim of minimising the threat of spreading the Coronavirus disease. These two bridges over the river Ganga will be used to transport goods from one side to another and would not be open to devotees.

Although the public works department was of the opinion that at least three or four pontoon bridges were necessary for the mela but the district administration was of the view that it would be better to have just two bridges following which devotees, of the city side and their counterparts on the Jhunsi side, would remain confined to their respective sides and thus minimise the threat of spreading infection.

The team of officers also inspected the mela area from the Shastri Bridge and the principal secretary was apprised about the planning of the administration.

The officers present during the inspection of the mela area also cited the example of a festival recently held in Varanasi. All devotees were allowed to arrive at the religious site, have darshan and leave the area and no one was allowed to stay. Magh Mela would also be organised on the same lines this time.

“Normal devotees will have to arrive and leave the mela area after taking a holy dip and completing the religious rituals, as only seers, who would be allotted land, will be allowed to stay within the mela area,” said Mela adhikari Vivek Chaturvedi. Importantly, the guidelines, laid down to control Covid-19 pandemic will be followed very strictly, he added.

Because of the low-key affair of the entire Magh Mela, the overall budget of the mela will also be less this year, as compared to previous years. The principal secretary has spoken to the officials and asked them to propose a revised budget.