First ‘Amrit Snan’ on Makar Sankranti held, around 3.5 cr devotees take dip

Mahakumbh Nagar: Seers from various ‘akharas’ took the first ‘Amrit Snan’ at the Maha Kumbh on Makar Sankranti on Tuesday as an unbroken stream of people converged at the Triveni Sangam on the occasion with around 3.5 crore devotees taking a dip.

Leading most of the akharas were ash-smeared Naga sadhus or naked seers who mesmerised onlookers with their discipline and mastery of traditional weapons.

From skilfully wielding spears and swords to energetically playing the ‘damru’, their demonstrations were a vibrant celebration of age-old traditions, an official statement said.

In addition to the male Naga sadhus, female Naga ascetics were also present in significant numbers.

According to the Uttar Pradesh government, around 3.5 crore devotees took a dip on Tuesday, almost double the first day’s figure. While the the first major ‘snan’ of the Maha Kumbh was on Monday on the occasion of ‘Paush Purnima’, the akharas or the members of the Hindu monastic orders took their first snan on Makar Sankranti.

Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani and Shri Shambhu Panchayati Atal Akhara were the first ones to take ‘Amrit Snan’. Thirteen akharas are participating in the Maha Kumbh.

The Amrit Snan began in the ‘Brahma Mahurat’ around 3 am with the icy waters of the Triveni Sangam hardly a deterrent for the devouts.

Rose petals were showered from helicopters on the devotees during their ‘Amrit Snan’.

Mahanirvani Akhara’s Mahamandaleshwar Chetangiri Maharaj told news agency, “The full Kumbh is held in Prayagraj every 12 years, but the Mahakumbh occurs once every 144 years after 12 full Kumbhs. It is a rare blessing for devotees to partake in this holy event. Sixty-eight Mahamandaleshwars and thousands of sadhus from Mahanirvani Akhara participated in the Amrit Snan.”