Mahakumbh Nagar: Multiple casualties were feared after a “stampede-like” situation broke out at the Sangam on Wednesday amid the ongoing Maha Kumbh, as a large number of pilgrims turned up for a holy bath on Mauni Amavasya, officials said.
Officer on Special Duty for the Mela Akanksha Rana said, “Some people have got injured and have been hospitalised after a barrier broke at the Sangam. We are yet to have the exact count of those injured”.
The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya is the most significant ritual of the Maha Kumbh and is expected to draw around 10 crore pilgrims.
This year, a rare celestial alignment called ‘Triveni Yog’ is occurring after 144 years, amplifying the spiritual significance of the day.
Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri Wednesday said that due to the stampede at Maha Kumbh, the seers have called off their Mauni Amavasya’s Amrit Snan.
“You would’ve seen what happened in the morning, and that’s why we have decided to… All of our saints and seers were ready for the ‘snan’ when we were informed about this incident. That’s why we have decided to call off our ‘snan’ on ‘Mauni Amavasya’,” Mahant Ravindra Puri told PTI Videos.
According to the tradition of the Kumbh Mela, Akharas belonging to the three sects ‘Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen’ take the holy dip in a set sequence following a majestic, awe-inspiring procession to the Sangam Ghat.
The seers and saints, including the ash-smeared Nagas, then immerse themselves in the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers on special bathing dates like the Mauni Amavasya, which are marked by special celestial alignments and considered holy among Hindus.
On Tuesday, a day before the Mauni Amavasya, nearly 5 crore people reached for the dip during the fair, according to estimates of the Uttar Pradesh government, which expects the crowd to be around 10 crore Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation in a call with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and called for immediate support measures.“PM Modi spoke to Yogi Ji about the situation at the Kumbh Mela, reviewed the developments, and called for immediate support measures,” an official said.
This report is from PTI news service.
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