Devotees took a holy dip at the Har Ki Pauri ghat in Haridwar on the first day of Kumbh Mela on Thursday. "We have come to Haridwar to attend Kumbh Mela 2021. In 2020 the entire world was affected by a coronavirus. But this year it seems the entire world is here to celebrate this holy event. People are in a very good mood, enjoying themselves and taking holy dips in Ganga," said a devotee.

Devotees are following COVID-19 protocol and while taking the holy dip they are also maintaining social distance. "The Kumbh Mela has started from today and will continue till 30 of this month. It's a very good feeling to be a part of this event. The tourists are requested to follow the COVID-19 protocols," said Vikas Gupta, another devotee.

The Uttarakhand government has already released a set of guidelines that is to be followed, which requires people to strictly adhere to COVID-19 norms, including a negative RT-PCR test report. This year the Kumbh will be held from April 1 to 30 in Haridwar.

Kumbh is held periodically at four different locations in India (Nashik, Haridwar, Prayagraj and Ujjain) every four years.