PRAYAGRAJ: Amidst foolproof security arrangements, around 15 lakhs devotees, sadhus and kalpwasis took holy dip at the Sangam on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Tuesday. A major chunk of the devotees from the city and adjoining districts started reaching Sangam since dawn and the number went up gradually by afternoon.
Mela Adhikari, Vivek Chaturvedi said, “Around 15 lakh devotees and pilgrims took holy dip on the occasion of Basant Panchami. This is the fourth main snan at the ongoing Magh Mela and it passed off peacefully with no untoward incident being reported.”
Senior Mela authorities remained active throughout the day to manage the flow of crowd. The entire Magh Mela campus was turned into a fortress with ATS and STF commandos, and personnel of para-military forces being deployed at all locations, including ghats.
As the entry of vehicles towards Sangam was restricted, Mela police directed pilgrims to park their vehicles at five allocated parking slots. However, number of the vehicles caused chaos on streets leading to Sangam. Teams of Jal police, NDRF and PAC flood relief personnel were deployed at the ghats so that devotees could not enter into deep water.
Parking arrangements were made at five prominent spots, including plot number 17, pontoon bridge workshop, Galla Mandi (Daraganj), Helipad parking and Kali Sadak.
Several events were organised at educational institutes on the occasion of Basant Panchami and students offered prayers to Goddess Saraswati.
Sadhus, especially those performing the oldest form of penance surrounded by huge mounds of burning cow-dung cakes at Tapasvi Nagar, remained the main attraction among devotees on the occasion.
Referred as ‘dhuni tap’, sadhus camping at Tapsavi Nagar started the tap and spent several hours in meditation.
Swami Gopal Das told TOI that practice of Dhuni tap started from Basant Panchami and it would continue till Ganga Dussehra.
He further added that the sadhus will be performing ‘dhuni tap’ on the campus of Magh Mela till February 27.