Journalism of Courage
As Maha Kumbh concludes today on the occasion of Shivratri, hordes of pilgrims took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam and other ghats in Prayagraj. The 45-day festival, which began on January 13 this year, has seen a footfall of over 65 crore people. This year's festival coincides with a rare celestial alignment that happens once every 144 years. (PTI Photo)
Touted as the world's largest spiritual gathering on earth, the mega religious festival attracted devotees from all four corners of the country including states like West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. There were also people who came all the way from Nepal to witness the Maha Kumbh on its final day. (PTI Photo)
A sea of devotees had begun to gather on the banks of Sangam from close to midnight for the last auspicious 'snan' of the Maha Kumbh. Meanwhile, some camped and waited patiently to take the dip at 'Brahma Muhurt', scores of them performed the bathing rituals much before the appointed time. (PTI Photo)
The Maha Kumbh has witnessed six special bathing dates -- Paush Purnima on January 13, Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 29, Basant Panchami on February 3, Maghi Purnima on February 12, and Mahashivratri on February 26 -- including three 'Amrit Snan'. Triveni Sangam is the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, considered holy by Hindus. (PTI Photo)
As many as 30 people were killed and several others were injured in a stampede in the Maha Kumbh on January 29 and a judicial probe has been ordered into the incident. Following the stampede, security was tightened at the festival. Considering the volume of devotees attending the festival on Wednesday, the Mela area has been declared "no-vehicle zone". (PTI Photo)
DIG (Kumbh) Vaibhav Krishna said, "We are prepared particularly to handle a two-pronged situation, one is the rush of devotees at the ghats including Sangam and the other is crowd management at five main shivalayas in the mela area where devotees will offer sacred waters to Lord Shiva." "We are expecting the footfall on Wednesday to be higher than it was on Tuesday (1.33 crore)," the DIG added. (PTI Photo)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath greeted devotees on the occasion of Shivratri. In a post on X, the CM said, "Hearty congratulations to all the revered saints, Kalpvasis and devotees who have come to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam today on the holy bathing festival of Mahashivratri dedicated to the worship of Lord Bholenath in Maha Kumbh-2025, Prayagraj.....Har Har Mahadev!." (PTI Photo)
Devotees started arriving at the banks of the Sangam from midnight, with many camping to wait for the final ‘snan’ at the auspicious ‘Brahma Muhurt’. (PTI Photo)
The Maha Kumbh site is located nearly 130 km from Varanasi. The Varanasi administration and police have chalked up comprehensive crowd management plans, keeping in mind that while the Maha Kumbh is being held in an open area outside Prayagraj, the Kashi Vishwanath temple — being visited by devotees — is located in the heart of the city in a congested area. (PTI Photo)
Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal said several security arrangements have been made to “ensure smooth public movement in the city and prevent traffic congestion.” The district administration and police have suspended all VIP protocols at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The sanctum sanctorum will remain open for an extended period due to the occasion, officials said. (PTI Photo)
Mahashivratri commemorates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds special significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a crucial role in the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), which led to the emergence of the Amrit Kumbh (nectar pitcher), the very essence of the Kumbh Mela. (PTI Photo)
Many myths are prevalent around the Kumbh Mela, many theories about its exact origin. Some believe the festival finds mention in the Vedas and Puranas. Some say it is far more recent, going back barely two centuries. (PTI Photo)
According to mythology, when Devas (gods) and Asuras (loosely translated as demons) churned the ocean, Dhanvantri emerged carrying a pitcher of amrita, or the elixir of immortality. To make sure the Asuras don’t get it, Indra’s son, Jayant, ran off with the pot. The Sun, his son Shani, Brihaspati (the planet Jupiter), and the Moon went along to protect him and the pot. (PTI Photo)
As Jayant ran, the amrita spilt at four spots: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik-Trimbakeshwar. He ran for 12 days, and as one day of the Devas is equal to one year of humans, Kumbh Mela is celebrated at these locations every 12 years, based on the relative positions of the Sun, the Moon, and Jupiter. The Sanskrit word kumbh means pitcher, or pot. (PTI Photo)
All four places are located on the banks of rivers — Haridwar has the Ganga, Prayagraj is the sangam or meeting point of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, Ujjain has the Kshipra, and Nashik-Trimbakeshwar the Godavari. (PTI Photo)
Prayagraj and Haridwar also hold the Ardh-Kumbh (ardh means half), every six years. The festival held after 12 years is called the Poorna Kumbh, or the Maha Kumbh. (PTI Photo)
It is believed that taking a dip in these rivers during Kumbh, amid the specific alignment of the heavenly bodies, washes away one’s sins and accrues punya (spiritual merit). (PTI Photo)
