This story is from January 14, 2021

Prayagraj: Magh Mela begins as lakhs brave Covid-19, cold to take dip in sangam on Makar Sankranti

Prayagraj: Magh Mela begins as lakhs brave Covid-19, cold to take dip in sangam on Makar Sankranti
The Makar Sankranti snan is the first of six snans of the 57-day Magh Mela that attracts hundreds of visitors from worldwide every year.
PRAYAGRAJ: The draw of faith overpowered biting cold and concern over a raging pandemic as lakhs of devotees turned up to take a dip in sangam on Makar Sankranti as the Magh Mela started in Prayagraj on Thursday.
The Makar Sankranti snan is the first of six snans of the 57-day Magh Mela that attracts hundreds of visitors from worldwide every year.
Devotees started trickling in since the crack of dawn amid tight security arrangements and the numbers only grew as the day progressed.

The flow of devotees to sangam continued till evening and police were seen struggling to regulate the crowd on ghats to ensure that the Covid-19 safety protocol was followed. Policemen continuously made announcements to remind people to wear masks and maintain social distancing. The cops were assisted by squads of commandos, rapid action force and provincial armed constabulary in keeping vigil. Apart from Mela police, civil defence volunteers were also seen urging devotees to follow the Covid-19 safety protocol.
Ironically, around a dozen visitors reportedly fainted after taking a dip in the river water and were taken to Ganga and Triveni Hospital for treatment.
IG (Prayagraj range) KP Singh said that , “Devotees had started reaching Sangam in early Thursday hours. The first snan went on peacefully and no untoward incident was reported. The elaborate security arrangements helped in manning the huge rush of devotees. Patrolling between Sangam and Quila Ghat helped in regulating the crowd. There were separate points for entry and exit to the venue so that there was no confusion.”

Many policemen were spotted guiding devotees who were either lost or did not know their way around the venue.
Meanwhile, Jal police personnel maintained a close watch on the boats plying. A separate river line was formed in Yamuna for easy transportation of boats. Police made it mandatory for devotees opting to go on boat rides to wear life jackets.
Many devotees donated til (sesame), jaggery, groundnuts and gajak as is customary on Makar Sankranti.
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Kapil Dixit

Kapil Dixit is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Mass Communications. He has covered crime at regional as well as state level. His hobbies include reading, writing and meeting people with diverse interests.

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