Maha Kumbh: Authorities gear up for final snan on Maha Shivaratri

Lucknow: As the Maha Kumbh, the biggest religious event on the Earth draws to a close, the authorities are gearing up for the last ‘Amrit Snan’ at the ‘sangam’ (the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Sarswati rivers) on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri on Wednesday.

Millions of devotees were expected to take holy dip at the Sangam on Maha Shivaratri. The crowds of devotees have already started pouring in Prayagraj and a sea of humanity was seen on the roads leading to the sangam since Tuesday afternoon.

Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in the Mela area with it being declared a no vehicle zone. Only vehicles carrying essential commodities and ambulances were allowed to enter.

Official sources said that the vehicles carrying devotees from outside the state were not allowed to enter the town and were parked at the designated parking areas. The town had faced massive traffic jams in the past few days.

Holding areas have been set up at the railway stations keeping in mind the surging crowds, where the devotees could stay, sources said. Holding areas were also made at Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (formerly Mughal Sarai), an important junction on the way to Prayagraj.

The authorities have appealed to the devotees to also use ghats, other than sangam, for bathing. ‘’The devotees will be encouraged to take bath at the ghats nearest to them and not insist on going to sangam,’’ said an official.

Senior officials were deployed in the Mela area to oversee the arrangements on the occasion of the last Amrit Snan on Wednesday.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the arrangements with the officials at a meeting. He directed the officials to ensure that there were no traffic jams in Prayagraj and also that the devotees did not face any difficulty in reaching the Mela.

Large crowds of devotees were also visiting Ayodhya and Varanasi and the officials have been put on the alert as a record number of devotees were expected to throng these two towns on Maha Shivaratri.

The authorities have cancelled ‘VIP darshan’ at the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi where millions of devotees were expected to pay obeisance and offer water on Maha Shivaratri on Wednesday.