Mahakumbh stampede: Why there was a bigger crowd than usual at Prayagraj

What is Mauni Amavasya, and why do some days attract especially large crowds at the Kumbh Mela?

People rest near the Ganga river during Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. (Express photo by Chitral Khambhati)

What is Mauni Amavasya?

Mauni Amavasya is the new moon night of the krishna paksha (the waning moon fortnight) of the Hindu month of Magh. On this day, both the Sun and Moon are in the same raashi of Makar (Capricorn), which makes it astrologically significant. Maun means silence, and on Mauni Amavasya, it is believed that observing silence, at least till before one takes a bath, is beneficial.

“According to Hindu religious beliefs, taking a ritual bath in a river on Mauni Amavasya washes away one’s sins. Triveni in Prayagraj (the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati) is considered a sacred spot. Taking a dip in the Triveni on a Mauni Amavasya during Kumbh Mela is, thus, of added spiritual significance,” Dr Ramesh Kumar Upadhyay, president of the Bhartiya Jyotish Aadhyatm parishad in Jamshedpur, said.

Devotees gather, a day before Mauni Amavasya, at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. (Express photo by Chitral Khambhati)

About why silence is observed on this day, Upadhyay said, “The new moon is a day of big happenings in the world of nature. The high tide and low tide are more pronounced, the moon is between the earth and the sun. On such a day, when nature is so dynamic, Hindu sages have advised stillness and silence for humans.”

What are the special ‘snan’ days at the Kumbh?

In the ongoing Kumbh, Makar Sankranti was the first amrit snan (earlier called shahi snan) day, and Mauni Amavasya the second. The third is Vasant Panchami on February 3. Shiv Ratri, which falls on February 26, the last day of the Kumbh Mela, is also significant.

On these days, the saadhus who gather at the Kumbh take the first ritual dip as part of the amrit snan, followed by other devotees. It is the specific planetary alignments of a day that make it specially auspicious.