Prayagraj: In the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj, 2.10 crore devotees took a dip in Ganga and Sangam till 12 noon on Basant Panchami Snan festival on Friday. An official of Prayagraj Fair Authority said that people are continuing to arrive and take bath in the Sangam area since 12 o’clock last night and today on Basant Panchami, till 12 noon, 2.10 crore devotees took a dip of faith in the Ganga and Sangam.
Fair Officer Rishiraj said that there is a huge crowd of devotees at all the ghats in the fair area. The movement of devotees is being monitored through the control room. More than 400 cameras are operational throughout the fair area. He said that railway stations and bus stands are also being monitored. Police administration staff officers are deployed at all places. Tirtha priest Rajendra Mishra said that since Ganga, Yamuna and invisible Saraswati reside in Prayagraj, hence Basant Panchami bath has special significance here. There is a tradition of wearing yellow clothes and donating yellow things on Basant Panchami.
He said that people start feeling the change of season from the day of Basant Panchami and people celebrate it as a festival by applying gulal etc. Divisional Commissioner Soumya Aggarwal said that Magh Mela has been organized in seven sectors in an area of 800 hectares. More than 25,000 toilets have been built in the mela area and more than 3500 sanitation workers are deployed. He told that for the people who want to do Kalpavas for short duration, a tent city has been made in Magh Mela where facilities for meditation and yoga etc. are available. Bike taxi and golf cart facilities have been made available for easy transportation of devotees.
Superintendent of Police (Magh Mela) Neeraj Pandey said that more than 10,000 policemen are deployed in the entire fair area for the safety and smooth movement of devotees. He said that keeping in mind crowd management and easy traffic, this time 42 temporary parking lots have been prepared in which more than one lakh vehicles can be parked. He said that a total of 12,100 feet long ghats have been constructed in Magh Mela 2025-26 in which all the necessary basic facilities are available.
Thousands of devotees took bath in Ganga at Semradhanath Ghat.
Thousands of devotees attained spiritual purification by taking bath at Semradhanath Ganga Ghat in Bhadohi district on Friday. On Friday, thousands of devotees attained spiritual purification by taking bath at Semradhanath Ghat situated on the banks of the holy Mother Ganga between the Kashi-Prayag and Vindhya mountain ranges. The process of devotees arriving at Ganga Ghat started after midnight on Thursday and continued till Friday afternoon on the day of Basant Panchami. Where amidst tight security arrangements, thousands of devotees took bath, meditated and prayed for the fulfillment of their wishes.
Prominent astrologer Pandit Mithilesh Upadhyay told that bathing on Basant Panchami in the month of Magh has special significance. By taking ‘Amrit Snan’ on Panchami, all the sins are washed away and along with spiritual purification, one gets knowledge, happiness, prosperity and positive energy. The blessings of Mother Saraswati are showered and intelligence and wisdom increase. This bath also paves the way for attaining salvation and peace of ancestors. It is believed that bathing in holy rivers on this day destroys all sins and attains eternal virtue.
He told that this day is dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, hence worshiping her along with bathing leads to success in the field of knowledge, wisdom and art and also brings happiness, prosperity and peace. The bath taken on the banks of Sangam (Prayagraj) on the day of Basant Panchami (Magh Shukla Panchami) is called ‘Amrit Snan’, because it is also considered to be the confluence of the invisible Saraswati river. Bathing on Basant Panchami is not only a means of physical but also spiritual purification and is also a sacred ritual for attaining knowledge and good fortune. Told that bathing, donating and worshiping on the day of Vasant Panchami leads to the eradication of sins and destruction of ignorance.
