Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: Akhadas lead holy dip on Makar Sankranti, Mahanirvani being first

During the Amrit Snan, the akhadas hold the privilege of taking the first holy dip, and their bathing sequence is determined by the Akhada Parishad, which allocates time slots based on each one’s hierarchy.

Mounted on horses, with drums and cymbals, ash-smeared Naga Sadhus carrying tridents and swords arrived first at the Triveni Sangam and took the holy dip during the sacred ‘Brahmamahurta.’ As they plunged into the waters, their cries reverberated across the area, marking the beginning of the Amrit Snan believed to cleanse lifetime of sins.

After Mahanirvani Akhada, the Naga Sadhus of Niranjani Akhada, Panchdashnam Juna Akhada, Aawahan Akhada, and Panch Agni Akhada took their turn for the holy dip.

This was followed by the Amrit Snan of Bairagi Akhadas of Shri Panch Nirmohi, Panch Digambar Ani, and Shri Panch Nirvani Ani. The final order of the holy bath included the sadhus and sanyasis from Udasin Akhada and Nirmal Akhada.

Women seers at the Triveni Sangam on Tuesday (Express/Vishal Srivastav)

For the first time, over 500 transgender sadhus participated in the ritual, led by Tina Ma, a transwoman sadhu. She expressed pride in their inclusion, calling it a significant moment for the community. “We are grateful to Ma Ganga and pray for the country’s progress,” she said.

Pilgrims from across the world participated in the Amrit Snan. Many had traveled long distances, enduring hardships to reach the Sangam.

Among them was Sarah, a 34-year-old from the United Kingdom, who described the experience as transformative. “It’s like being part of something eternal,” she said. Similarly, Carlos, a yoga teacher from Spain who came in a group of ten, said, “The scale of the event is mind-blowing. I feel blessed to see this all with my own eyes.”

The Maha Kumbh also attracted first-time visitors like Claudia from Poland, who was drawn to witness the world’s largest gathering. “The parade of aghoris was the most fascinating,” she said, reflecting on the mix of spirituality and spectacle.

Highlighting the crowd management strategies, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad said advanced monitoring systems, including thermal imaging at night and real-time visuals from drones and CCTV cameras during the day were being utilised for crowd control and safety.

Director General of Police (UP) Prashant Kumar said, “We have been monitoring the crowd with the help of new technologies since late Monday night. Since the length of ghats is long, there is not much pressure at Sangam nose. By and large, people are leaving with satisfaction. Our planning is giving desired results.”

The security apparatus was tested in the early morning hours as a sea of people thronged to the Sangam area trying to enter the Sangam waters. Thousands of police personnel, including mounted officers, commandos, and disaster response teams, have been deployed across the sprawling mela grounds. Mounted police patrolled the shallow waters near the ghats, while drone surveillance and over 1,000 CCTV cameras monitored the crowds. Helicopters conducted aerial surveys to ensure rapid response to any potential issues.

—With ENS, Lucknow