Prayagraj: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his heartfelt congratulations to all devotees, saints and residents of the state during the ongoing Maha Kumbh on the auspicious occasion of Magh Purnima.
In an X post on Wednesday morning, he wrote, “Hearty congratulations to all the devotees and residents of the state on the holy bathing festival Magh Purnima! Heartiest greetings to all the revered saints, religious leaders, Kalpvasis, and devotees who have come for a holy bath in the sacred Triveni in Maha Kumbh-2025, Prayagraj today! May everyone’s life be filled with happiness, prosperity, and good fortune by the grace of Lord Shri Hari. May Mother Ganga, Mother Yamuna, and Mother Saraswati fulfill everyone’s wishes, this is my wish.”
The visuals of a full moon illuminated the night sky during the momentous occasion of Maghi Purnima.
The ongoing Magh Mela 2025 witnessed a massive influx of devotees, with more than 48.83 million people taking a holy dip in the Ganga till 4 p.m. on Monday.
The total number of pilgrims visiting the mela grounds has reached 38.83 million, while Kalpvasis staying in the area have crossed 10 million.
According to officials, the cumulative number of devotees who have performed snan since the beginning of the festival has now exceeded 462.5 million as of February 11, 2025.
The footfall is expected to increase further as the mela progresses, with more auspicious bathing dates lined up in the coming days.
Authorities have deployed extensive security and administrative measures to manage the massive gathering, ensuring a smooth and safe experience for the pilgrims.
Additional Mela Officer Vivek Chaturvedi said, “Today is the snan of ‘Maghi Purnima’. This time an unexpected crowd has come to the Mela. The snan is going on. A large number of devotees are coming here. All preparations have been.”
Vaibhav Krishna, DIG Prayagraj, also told about the significant arrival of devotees for the ‘snan’ during Magh Purnima, said, “On the occasion of Magh Purnima, devotees are arriving here in large numbers, for ‘snan’…our preparations are really good… everything is under control… parking, traffic diversions, everything is activated…devotees are following the rules and regulations.”
To manage the massive influx of devotees, the administration has declared a ‘No Vehicle’ zone in the area.
Private and public vehicles will be parked in designated parking lots, and only essential and emergency services will be allowed to enter.
Additionally, a ban has also been announced on the vehicles of the Kalpavasis.
To ensure the safety of the devotees, only essential and emergency services will be allowed to enter.
The special traffic plan will be implemented in the city from 5 p.m. on Wednesday and remain in force till the end of February 12.
Maha Kumbh 2025, which commenced on Paush Purnima (January 13, 2025), is the world’s largest spiritual and cultural gathering, attracting devotees from across the globe. The grand event will continue till Mahashivratri on February 26.
(IANS)
