Lakhs take holy dip on Vasant Panchami

Kumbh Nagar, Jan 29: An estimated 60 lakh devotees took a holy dip at the Sangam on the occasion of Vasant Panchami today even as pilgrims...

Kumbh Nagar, Jan 29: An estimated 60 lakh devotees took a holy dip at the Sangam on the occasion of Vasant Panchami today even as pilgrims continued to arrive at Kumbh village.

Mela DM Jivesh Nandan told PTI here that about ten million people were expected to take the ritual bath. There was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in Kumbh village, he said.

The "shahi snan" by the various akharas was also going on peacefully as per schedule, Nandan said. The devotees had started gathering at the ghats of Sangam since last night and the ritual bathing started shortly after midnight.

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Nine out of 13 akharas led by Mahanirvani, Niranjani and Juna, had also taken ritual dip in the Sangam amid official reception by the mela administration during their procession, the mela DM said.

One of the akharas, Gujarat-based Mahanirvani akhara, however did not take out its procession with usual fanfare as a mark of solidarity with the quake victims in the state, mahamandeshwar acharya Vishwader Anand said here.

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