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Theme-based gates to welcome pilgrims, saints at Magh Mela
Themed gates similar to Kumbh-2019 will be set up in each sector of Magh Mela-2024, as directed by chief minister Yogi Adityanath. This will be a rehearsal for the larger Mahakumbh-2025 event and efforts will be made to ensure its success. The gates will serve as landmarks and will be designed as Elephant gate, Conch gate, and Kumbh Kalash gate. Additionally, spiral lights will be installed on electric poles in the mela area. The 54-day religious fair will begin on January 15 and end on March 8.
Following the instructions of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, theme-based gates like the ones set up during Kumbh-2019 will be erected in each of the six sectors of Magh Mela-2024 to give a grander look to the annual religious fair.
Officials say this will be replicated on a much bigger scale during the Mahakumbh-2025 wherein all the 22 to 23 sectors will have these attractive gates. They say that Magh Mela-2024 will be the rehearsal for the mega religious event— Mahakumbh-2025— and hence every effort will be made to ensure its grand success.
Recently, the chief minister visited the mela area and inspected the arrangements being made for both Magh Mela-2024 and Mahakumbh-2025.
The CM directed installation of thematic gates on the lines of Kumbh-2019 for which the mela administration has already started a survey. These gates will also act as a landmark for tourists visiting the mela area. They will be designed as Elephant gate, Conch gate and Kumbh Kalash gate etc as the same were built in Kumbh-2019.
In Kumbh-2019, devotees appreciated this new experiment which added to the religious fair’s grandeur. After 2019, such gates were not made in the subsequent editions of the Magh Melas. Officials said the mela area will be divided into six sectors and each will have one entry gate.
ADM (Mela), Vivek Shukla said, “At present there is a plan to build one gate in every sector, but we are mulling over the idea to expand the concept and maybe there will be some additional gates too.”
Magh Mela Adhikari Dayanand Prasad said along with gates, many new experiments are also being done in the Magh Mela.
“Spiral lights will also be installed on the electric poles in the mela area. This time colorful lights will be installed on the poles in many areas. For this, currently VIP Ghat, VIP Road and the areas around the market have been selected. In the coming time, it will be installed in new areas also. If this experiment is successful this time, it will be implemented on a larger scale in Mahakumbh-2025,” Prasad said.
The 54-day religious fair will feature six main bathing festivals, commencing with Makar Sankranti on January 15 and concluding with the Maha Shivaratri bathing on March 8.
