The 49-day long Kumbh Mela is set to begin on Tuesday, 15 January and will continue till 4 March. This year’s mela, known as ‘Ardh Kumbh Mela’ is being held after six years.
The mela will be sprawled across 45 kms this year and will have over 1.22 lakh toilets, 250 kms of new roads, 22 pontoon bridges and over 40,000 LED lights.
Earlier on 10 January, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed preparations for Kumbh Mela beginning at Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad).
Adityanath has previously stated that he is personally committing himself to the event adding that the event will be “darshaniye (worth seeing), adbhut (amazing), divya (divine) and bhavya (grand).”
- The 2019 Kumbh Mela will take place from 15 January to 4 March 2019 in UP’s Prayagraj.
- The last Ardh Kumbh Mela took place in 2013.
- The Mela will be sprawled across 45 km this year.
- UP Finance Minister Rajesh Aggarwal has said an amount of Rs 2,800 crore has been earmarked for the Kumbh Mela.
Adityanath Orders Inspection of Kumbh Camps After Fire
After a fire at the Kumbh Mela campus that destroyed tents, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the fire department and officials in-charge of the event to inspect all the camps.
A government spokesman told IANS that Adityanath also directed the fire department to take all steps to ensure there was no repeat of Monday's episode.
The Chief Minister has asked the Mela administration to provide compensation for the gutted tents and other items.
Traditional Akharas Set Up Ahead of Kumbh Mela
Considered an integral part of the Kumbh Mela, 'akharas' set up at the venue virtually steal the show.
Each 'akhara' houses followers of similar religious customs, views and ideologies, who specialise in both scriptures and armaments.
According to Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) president Narendra Giri, 'akharas' may be categorised into three categories based on the deities they worship – Shaiva, Vaishnava and Udaseen.
Of the 13 'akharas', seven are Shaiva and three each are Vaishnava and Udaseen, Giri told PTI.
The word 'akhara' came from the word 'akhand' which means "indivisible".
Fire Breaks Out at Digambar Akhada
A fire broke out on Monday, 14 January, at the Digambar Akhada premises of the Kumbh Mela, after a cylinder blast.
Following the incident, authorities rushed to the spot to douse the flame. A police official told news agency ANI that the fire was doused and no loss of life or injury was reported.
Kumbh Mela Devotees Celebrate Makar Sankranti
Thousands of devotees, who have reached Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj for the Kumbh Mela, took a holy dip at Sangam Ghat on Monday, 14 January, celebrating the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti.
Every year on Makar Sankranti lakhs of Hindu pilgrims gather to take a dip at the confluence of the River Ganga and the Bay of Bengal and offer prayers in the Kapil Muni Temple.
Devotees at Sangam Ghat celebrate Sankranti.
(Photo: ANI)
