Kumbh Mela 2021: How Mahashivratri was celebrated amid pandemic

Maha Shivratri Shahi Snaan at Mahakumbh is considered among the world's largest religious congregations. (Express photo)

The event, spread over four districts of Uttarakhand with Haridwar as the focal point, registered a footfall of over 28 lakh between Wednesday midnight and Thursday evening. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

About 5,000 security personnel, including the Border Security Force, have been pressed into service. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

As part of the precautionary measures, the mela authorities could be seen putting extra emphasis on cleanliness, with sanitation workers sweeping and mopping the ghat areas round-the-clock. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Devotees gathered around River Ganga at Haridwar in Uttarkhand. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Sadhus from various Akhada and devotees take dip in River Ganga at Shahi Snan during Mahakumbh on the occasion of Maha Shivratri at Haridwar in Uttrakhand. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

While negative RT-PCR test reports were a mandatory requirement for people entering Haridwar, authorities resorted to random checking, admitting that everyone could not be checked as the queue of waiting vehicles stretched into kilometres. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Naga Sadhus take out procession after taking a dip in River Ganga at Shahi Snan during Mahakumbh on the occasion of Maha Shivratri at Haridwar, Uttrakhand. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Hosting the Maha Shivratri Shahi Snaan at Mahakumbh, considered among the world's largest religious congregations, during the time of Covid-19, Haridwar was, in equal parts, excited and anxious on Thursday. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

While preparations were started in 2019 itself, March 2020 forced the authorities to revise the strategy. The biggest challenge so far has been crowd management, said the mela-in charge. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

One wash basin has been installed for every 10 mobile toilets while 150 changing rooms for women have been set up. About 50 people, carrying hand sanitisers in large drums, have also been roped in. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

The entire Kumbh area has been divided into 25 sectors for efficient management, said Rawat, who served as the district magistrate of Haridwar between 2017 and 2019. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Surjit Singh Panwar, Additional SP (Kumbh), said this time, a large number of devotees had turned up from western Uttar Pradesh as many of them had to give the Kanwar Yatra a miss due to the pandemic last year. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Flower petals were showered on devotees from a helicopter in the afternoon. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)