Devotees throng Sangam in Prayagraj, Ganga ghats in Varanasi to take holy dip on Mauni Amavasya

Pilgrims thronged Magh Mela on the banks of Sangam in Prayagraj and those of Kashi ghats in Varanasi districts of Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of the auspicious Mauni Amavasya on Sunday.

Millions of people are expected to take a dip in the Sangam and the Ganga on this occasion.

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A report from Prayagraj said on the third and most important bathing day, Mauni Amavasya, of the Magh Mela, the largest religious gathering held on the banks of the Sangam in Prayagraj, devotees are taking a dip in the sacred Sangam, seeking salvation.

The influx of devotees to bathe in the Sangam began last night. Devotees started bathing in the holy river from midnight onwards, and since morning, lakhs of people have been arriving to take a dip of faith.

According to religious belief, on this day, the sun and the moon are in the same zodiac sign, and taking a silent dip in the Sangam on this day is believed to yield the merit of performing a hundred Ashwamedha Yagnas (horse sacrifices).

Despite the intense cold and fog, a large number of devotees are reaching the Sangam to take a dip. There is no lack of enthusiasm among the people in the Sangam area. Everyone wants to earn merit by taking a dip of faith in the holy waters of the Triveni. The month of Magh is considered very sacred in Hindu scriptures. However, the day of Amavasya (new moon) in the middle of the month of Magh is given special importance. It is believed that on this day, the water of Mother Ganga, the sacred river, becomes nectar. Therefore, Amavasya, or Mauni Amavasya, is considered very special for the Magh Snan (bathing).

The administration has also made elaborate arrangements for the safety of the devotees. According to the district administration, approximately 3 crore people are expected to take a dip of faith in Triveni today.

Meanwhile , another report from Varanasi said a massive crowd of devotees began gathering at the Ganga ghats in the holy city of Kashi from early Sunday morning on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya.

On this auspicious day, bathing silently in holy rivers, performing acts of charity, and worshipping Lord Vishnu are believed to bring special blessings.

Mahant and astrologer Jitendra Mohan Puri of the Batuk Bhairav Temple said that people living on the banks of the Ganga – whether in Prayagraj, Kashi, or Haridwar – should observe a vow of silence and bathe in the river today. Bathing on this day is believed to cleanse one of all three types of sins: physical, unintentional, and those caused by planetary influences. It is believed that on Mauni Amavasya, all the deities of heaven reside in the Ganga and grant devotees liberation from their sins.

Devotees are taking holy dips in the Ganga at various prominent ghats of Kashi, including Dashashwamedh, Sheetla, Rajendra Prasad, Darbhanga, Shivala, Rana Mahal, Assi, Bhadaini, Ravidas, and Rajghat. It is estimated that more than four lakh devotees will bathe today.

Mauni Amavasya began at 11:38 PM on Saturday night and will continue until 12:57 AM on Sunday night. Holy bathing can be performed throughout the day on January 18. To control the crowd, the area from Godaulia to Maidagin and the Dashashwamedh road has been declared a no-vehicle zone. Long queues of devotees were also seen at the Vishwanath Dham.

Tirth Purohit Raju Tiwari said that on this day, simply bathing while observing silence and meditating on God grants liberation from sins. The holy confluence is considered to be the abode of the gods. Bathing on this day purifies the body, silence purifies the mind, and charity purifies and increases wealth.