Makar Sankranti Draws Massive Faith Surge as Over 9 Lakh Devotees Take Holy Dip at Sangam

The entire Ganga Sangam was swamped with devotion when over nine lakh devotees occupied Makar Sankranti to have the sacred dip at the Sangam, where over nine lakh devotees were present at the continuing Magh Mela. Since early morning of the day, pilgrims all over the country ventured into the cold winter season to take a bath at the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, as they thought doing so would remove sins and give them spiritual merit.

The local government had made detailed preparations in order to facilitate the movement of the crowds, their security, and hygiene by assigning more police force and medical staff in the mela premises. Temporary ghats and special traffic reroute were some of the ways in which heavy footfalls could be controlled. The festival was also full of prayers and religious discourses by saints, sadhus, and akharas, and contributed to the religious fever. The government indicated that the attendance reinstated the importance of Magh Mela as one of the holiest religious assemblies in India.