Getty ImagesRegulators in India are working against the clock to prepare Prayagraj for the Hindu festival Kumbh Mela, which is hailed as society’s largest meeting.
About 400 million pilgrims are expected to attend the 45-day scene, which is so huge it can be seen from space.
The faithful will take a trip to Sangam, where the Yamuna creek, Yamuna creek, and Saraswati, which is a confluence of India’s most revered Ganges river and the magical goddess Saraswati, on Monday. The event, which is held once every 12 years, will begin on Monday.
The second main cleaning day, Tuesday, did see ash-smeared dressed Hindu holy men with tangled dreadlocks, known as Naga sadhus, taking a dip in the north Indian city at dawn.
Ankit SrinivasHindus believe that taking a dip in the sacred river may purify their spirit, clean their heart, and break the cycle of birth and death because forgiveness is the ultimate target of Hinduism.
Five to eight million worshipers are expected to take a bath on Monday, while more than 20 million are expected to do so the following morning.
To provide the travelers and visitors, a large tent area, spread over 4, 000 acres, has been set up on the banks of the river.
However, many of the sprawling basis in Prayagraj also appeared to be a work in progress on Sunday, just hours before proceedings were scheduled to begin.
Some of the tents set up by saints and another believers had continuous power outages and no running water.
Ankit SrinivasDue to broken water connections, thousands of bathroom cubicles were also uninhabitable and also needed to be constructed.
Administration standard Vivek Chaturvedi told the BBC that organizers were hampered by the notion that this year the monsoon waters took long to recede, which narrowed the window for development activities.
But, he insisted, “preparations are nearly perfect and all methods will be in place to welcome the readers”.
” We have constructed 650 kilometers of temporary streets and constructed tens of thousands of houses and restrooms. More than 100, 000 individuals, including over 40, 000 police and security officers, are working round-the-clock to make it a achievements”, Mr Chaturvedi said.
Getty ImagesWhat is Kumbh Mela?
The event, which concludes on 26 February, has been recognised as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations agency Unesco.
Its inspiration comes from a mythical tale about a battle between demons and the gods over a Kumbh ( a pitcher ) of nectar that came from the ocean’s church.
As the two sides fought over the bowl of drink that promised them resurrection, a several drops spilled over and fell in four towns- Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik.
Kumbh Mela event, which takes place every 12 times in the four towns, is held as the conflict raged for 12 divine times, each equivalent of 12 years on Earth. A half-Kumbh or an ardh is held halfway between two festivals.
The mela is organised in all the four cities, but the biggest festivals, where previous attendance records are broken, are always held in Prayagraj.
Hindu seer Mahant Ravindra Puri said the festival this time round was “extra special” and described it as” a Maha]great ] Kumbh”.
He told the BBC,” That’s because the planets and stars ‘ current alignment is identical to what was present at the time of the spill.”
” Such perfection is being observed after 12 Kumbh festivals or 144 years”, he said.
Ankit SrinivasFor festival-goers, a major attraction is the presence of naked Naga sadhus, or ascetics, and it is a spectacle to watch as they hurl themselves into the icy waters.
However, for the devout, it has a special significance because they think the waters are infused with the purity of the saints ‘ thoughts and deeds.
Over the weekend, groups of holy men arrived at the mela grounds in large noisy processions.
One group of ash-smeared men marched in carrying tridents, swords, and small two-headed drums, some of whom were naked, while others were draped in loincloth or marigold garland around their necks.
Another group’s leaders were led by a music band, dancers, horses, and camels in a large procession that included chariots and camels to their campsite.
Getty ImagesWhat days of the week are big baths?
The bathing dates and auspicious times are decided by astrologers, based on the alignment of specific planets and constellations.
This time, there are six particularly benevolent days to take a bath:
- 13 January: Paush Purnima
- 14 January: Makar Sankranti
- 29 January: Mauni Amavasya
- 3 February: Basant Panchami
- 12 February: Magh Purnima
- 26 February: Maha Shivaratri
Three of these- 14 and 29 January, and 3 February- have been designated as Shahi Snan ( or the royal bath ) days when the Naga sadhus will bathe.
On January 29th, there is anticipated to be the largest gathering, with between 50 and 60 million people expected to visit.
Ankit SrinivasAway from the riverside, the city of Prayagraj has been decked up for the mega event.
Around 200 roads have been widened, according to officials, and a fresh coat of paint has been applied to the Sangam phalanx and the walls have been decorated with colorful paintings and murals that depict tales from Hindu mythological texts.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims, including many from foreign countries, have already reached the city.
Sebastian Diago, visiting as part of a 90-member group from Argentina, said he made the journey to “experience the devotion first hand”.
” I felt the pull of the Ganges so I came”, he said.
” I will take a bath in the river because I feel the need to connect with the Ganges.”
Ankit SrinivasHow big is the festival?
- Area: 4, 000 hectares
- 160, 000 tents
- 40, 000 police and security officials
- 15, 000 sanitation workers
- 99 parking lots for over half a million vehicles
- 30 floating pontoon bridges over the river
- 67, 000 street lights
- 150, 000 toilets, 25, 000 bins
- 200 water ATMs and 85 tube wells
Ankit SrinivasThe Indian government said it was spending 70bn rupees ($ 812m, £665m ) on organising the festival and according to local media reports, the state government will earn a revenue of 250bn rupees ($ 2.9bn, £2.3bn ).
Some pilgrims complained about the lack of facilities, but the saints and leaders of large campsites acknowledged the difficulties involved in planning a festival of this magnitude.
Baba Amarnathji, a 60-year-old saffron-robed monk, showed the BBC a small tent he had set up for himself with cloth and plastic sheets draped over three bamboo poles.
On earlier occasions, he said, he could sleep for free in tents set up by the administration, but this time there was no such facility.
” I’m being chased away from here by the police.” Where will I go, though? Everyone claims that this festival is meant for sadhus like me, but I can tell you that tourists are being taken care of as well.