Sea of pilgrims throng Sangam as Magh Mela begins

Pilgrims and devotees thronged the Sangam at Allahabad on the first day of the annual Hindu festival of magh mela which started on Thursday

A sea of pilgrims and devotees thronged the Sangam at Allahabad to take a holy dip on the first day of the annual Hindu festival of Magh Mela that started on Thursday amidst heavy security, officials said.

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Devotees of all ages and genders started lining up at the banks at 4 a.m. to take a dip at the Sangam - the holy confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers.

"We believe that since 4 a.m. as many as two-lakh devotees have already taken a holy dip at the Sangam and the number of devotees opting for a holy bath will definitely increase later in the day," Pushkar Srivastava, an officer of the mela organising committee, told reporters.

"The mela is going on smoothly. There have not been any complaints from the devotees regarding the preparations made for the festival," he added.

According to officials, strict security arrangements have been made on the first day of the mela that started on Paush Purnima - an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar.

"For today, we have deployed five companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), two companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), 1,100 constables, 130 sub-inspectors and other security personnel for organising the mela smoothly," Superintendent of Police, N.P. Singh said.

It is believed that taking a holy dip in the Sangam at this time strengthens life and makes it disease free. The Magh Mela ends on the 12th of February, on Mahashivratri.

"I took a dip for my mother and prayed for her longevity," said Rahul Sinha, who came from Motihari town in Bihar.

"It is believed today all the gods and goddesses are present at the Sangam and bless those taking a holy dip," Mridul Saran, another devotee from Bihar, said.