Kumbh concludes with millions taking dip at Sangam

Kumbh, the largest religious congregation in the world, concluded on Monday with over one crore devotees taking the holy dip at Sangam in Prayagraj on the occasion of 'Mahashivratri'.

According to the official sources here the devotees had begun to throng the Sangam banks before dawn. The numbers swelled as the day passed, they said.

Elaborate security arrangements were made for the last bath at the Kumbh in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pulwama in which 49 CRPF jawans had been martyred.

''The devotees continue to arrive at Sangam... we expect them to continue arriving till late in the night,'' said an official in Prayagraj on Monday.

The 48-day long 'Kumbh' fair had started on 'Makar Sankranti' on January 15 this year with the first 'Shahi Snan' (Royal Bath). An estimated ten crore people had visited the Kumbh this year, sources added.

Branded as 'Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh' (grand Kumbh), the Uttar Pradesh government had made elaborate arrangements to enable the pilgrims as well as other visitors to have a comfortable stay at Kumbh.

Thousands of special buses had been pressed into service to ferry the devotees to the fair from across the state. The Railways had run dozens of special trains to enable the devotees to reach Prayagraj from different corners in the country.

The 'Kumbh' this year also witnessing two 'dharm sansad' (religious Parliaments), which were organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Dwarika Peeth. The Ram Temple issue was discussed in the meetings.

Prominent politicians, who visited the Kumbh included prime minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav.