President Droupadi Murmu took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam this morning during her visit to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. Visuals showed her being escorted by security personnel along a floating jetty before she descended a ramp and immersed herself in the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati.
She is only the second Indian President to take a dip in the Sangam, following in the footsteps of Dr Rajendra Prasad, who performed the ritual during an earlier Kumbh Mela. Her visit comes just days after a tragic stampede on Mouni Amavasya claimed the lives of around 30 devotees, as thousands gathered in the early hours to bathe at the confluence.
The President arrived in Prayagraj earlier in the day and was accompanied to the Sangam by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. She is also scheduled to offer prayers at the Bade Hanuman Temple and the Akshayavat tree, revered in Hinduism as a symbol of immortality.
Several prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have already taken a dip at the Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh festivities.
Dr Rajendra Prasad, India's first President, had famously taken a dip at the Sangam and spent time observing the grand Kumbh Mela from the riverbank, a location now known as the 'President's View.'
In light of President Murmu's visit, security has been significantly heightened across Prayagraj.