Excitement builds in Prayagraj for the Magh Mela’s pivotal fourth snan parv on Basant Panchami, January 23. Blending with Achala Saptami on the 25th and weekend holidays, the event could see 3.5 crore devotees plunge into the purifying waters of Triveni Sangam.
Administrators have fortified the 3.5-km ghat stretch with 24 access points, ensuring immaculate conditions and ample facilities. Strategic pontoon deployments manage flows: Parade-Jhunsi via bridges 3,5,7; reverse on 4,6; police-fortified 1,2 for crises.
Mela Police SP Neeraj Pandey detailed the traffic blueprint: diversions for all but Mela vehicles at entry points, new Yamuna bridge off-limits on the 23rd, old bridge sole passage. ‘Safety in crowd handling, transit, and emergencies is paramount,’ he stressed.
The auspicious Panchami window opens Thursday 2:28 AM, closing January 23 at 1:56 AM, inviting dips, yellow donations. Achala Saptami’s ann bhandara tradition fosters communal piety.
‘Most massive post-Mouni Amavasya,’ beamed Mela Officer Rishiraj, forecasting 3.5 crore-plus immersions. This orchestration of faith, logistics, and tradition reaffirms the mela’s role in India’s spiritual tapestry.