Lucknow, Amrit Vichar: With the bathing festival of Paush Purnima, the trinity of faith, penance and spiritual practice will start flowing on the Sangam banks of Prayagraj. A temporary city of tents has been established on the sands of Ganga-Yamuna and Magh Mela will be formally inaugurated from Saturday. Magh Mela will continue till Mahashivratri on 15th February. During this period, more than four lakh Kalpavasis will undergo a month’s rigorous Kalpavas with chanting, penance and determination.
Magh Mela is the biggest annual religious-cultural event of the country, where various streams of knowledge, devotion and spiritual practice flow together on Paush Purnima. The presence of Dandi Sanyasi, Ramanandi Acharya, Khalsa Panth saints as well as Shankaracharyas of Chatushpeethas in the Sangam area gives a vast form to spirituality. The number of Kalpavasis performing penance on the sands of Ganga-Yamuna in the biting cold has increased unprecedentedly this year.
In view of the increasing number of Kalpavasis, the fair administration has for the first time established a separate town in an area of 950 bighas, which has been named ‘Prayagwal’. This city has been developed across the Ganga in front of Nagavasuki temple. According to ADM Magh Mela Dayanand Prasad, the number of Kalpvasis has increased this year due to the memories of Mahakumbh 2025 and the tradition of resolution of Kalpvas after 12 years. Keeping in mind the age and health, the devotees have been settled near the banks of Ganga, so that there is no difficulty in taking daily bath.
There is special emphasis by the Yogi government on giving a divine, grand and clean look to the fair area. Cleanliness is being given priority in the camps of Kalpavasis, an appeal has been made to avoid single use plastic. Bonfires and other protective arrangements have been made to protect elderly devotees from the cold wave.
Major bathing festivals of Magh Mela 2026
• Paush Purnima: 3 January
• Makar Sankranti: 14 January
• Mauni Amavasya: 18 January
• Basant Panchami: 23 January
• Maghi Purnima: 1 February
• Mahashivratri: 15 February
