57-day Magh Mela to end with Maha Shivratri dip
PRAYAGRAJ: The ongoing 57-day annual Magh Mela-2021 will come to an end with last official bathing of Maha Shivaratri on Thursday. According to mela officials, around 5 lakh devotees are expected to take a dip in Sangam during the day.
Mela officer Vivek Chaturvedi said all preparations, including security arrangements, had been completed for the sixth and last bathing of the annual fair.
Noted astrologer and director of Uthan Jyotish Sansthan Pandit Diwaker Tripathi Purvanchali said the auspicious timing for the bathing begins from 2.52pm on March 10 and lasts till late evening on March 11.
The Magh Mela commenced with the first official bathing of Makar Sankranti on January 14 wherein 4.5 lakh devotees had taken the holy dip.
The second official bathing of Paush Purnima held on January 28 had witnessed 2.8 lakh devotees taking bath in Sangam water while 30 lakh devotees had taken the dip on Mauni Amavasya on February 11.
Further on the fourth official bathing of Basant Panchami on February 16, around 15.5 lakh devotees had taken a dip in the Sangam.
The fifth official bathing day of Maghi Purnima on February 27 also marked end of the month-long kalpwas even as 7 lakh devotees had taken the holy dip.
Shiva temples decked up Elaborate arrangements have been made by people of Sangam city to celebrate Mahashivratri on Thursday.
Various Lord Shiva temples around the city, including the historic Shiv temple of Daraganj, the ones at Padila Mahdeo, Mankameshwar, Takshakeshwar Nath temple as well as the ones at Rajapur, Civil Lines and Teliyarganj have all put in place needed arrangements in anticipation of heavy rush of devotees.
Anticipating a heavy rush of devotees, the police too have made needed arrangements as adequate police force, including women police personnel, will be deployed at all prominent temples to manage the crowd.
Grand ‘shringaars’ of lord Shiva would also be done in these temples.
On the occasion, devotees will also take out ‘Shiv Barat’ (religious processions) in various localities though the size of these processions could be smaller.
In view of the festival, rates of all puja items like flowers, fruits and other items have shot up in the city.
On the day, several devotees will take a dip in the Ganga and collect the water and offer the same to the Shivlingas, located in the vicinity of the river.