Maha Kumbh starts, over 10 lakh take dip in Ganga

Snehesh Alex Philip and Prakash Kumar
Haridwar, Jan 14 (PTI) Braving bone-biting chill, over 10
lakh devotees Thursday took a holy dip in the freezing waters
of river Ganga here heralding the start of the three-
month-long Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious
congregation that takes place once in 12 years.

As the sun rose at about 0645 hours, hordes of pilgrims
and sadhus, who had lined up along the streets of Haridwar,
started their dips at various ghats along the river whose
sacred waters they believe will wash away their sins.
The bath taken on Thursday on the occasion of 'Makar
Sankranti' marks the first of the 11 key dates for holy dips
which will fall over the next three months ending April 28.
Makar Sankranti, also known as Uttarayan, is a day when the
sun starts to move northwards marking the decline of winter.
Men, women and children outnumbered the sadhus, who are
expected to throng the temple town only after January 26 as
the official entrance of the 'akharas' (Hindu religious
orders) will begin then.
The first 'shahi snan' or the royal bath is scheduled for
February 12 when akhara chiefs will take the dip. They will be
led by ash-smeared Naga sadhus, who are Lord Shiva devotees.
"Over 10 lakh pilgrims have taken bath in the Ganga since
early this morning till late afternoon," Chief Mela Officer
Anand Bardhan told PTI.
The other key dates for the baths are January 15 (Mauni
Amavasya and solar eclipse), January 20 (Basant Panchami),
January 30 (Magh Purnima), February 12 (Maha Shivaratri),
March 15 (Somvati Amavasya), March 16 (Nvasamvatsar), March 24
(Rama Navami), March 30 (Chaitra Purnima), April 14 (Mesh
Sankranti) and April 28 (Baishakh Adimasaha Purnima). PTI PKU
RBT


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