Simhastha Kumbh Mela, the largest congregation of faith in the world, got underway in north Maharashtra with thousands of pilgrims taking a holy dip in the waterfronts of Ramkund and Kushawrat teerth in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar respectively.
After the traditional Dhwajarohan (flag-hoisting) ceremony, thousands of devotees gathered on the banks of Godavari river at Ramkund in Nashik and Kushawart in the neighbouring Trimbakeshwar took a holy dip, marking the beginning of a 13-month-long “Simhastha Kumbh Mela”.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and State Women and Child Welfare Minister Pankaja Munde presided over the flag-hoisting ceremony at Timbakeshwar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was the chief guest at the Nashik ceremony. Held once in 12 years, the Kumbh Mela attracts piligrims and sadhus from all over the country. As many as six lakh Sadhus, belonging to akhadas are visiting the current Kumbh Mela.
More than 80 lakh are expected to be in Nashik during the three auspicious days of ‘Shahi Snan’ (holy dips), while another 25 to 30 lakh devotees are likely to take holy dips in Godavari river at Trimbakeshwar. Nearly 4 crore people are expected to take part in the current Kumbh Mela.
The curent kumbh mela that began on Tuesday will go on August 11, 2016. After the first flag hoisting ceremonies witnessed at Ramkund in Nashik and Kushawrat teerth at Trimbakeshwar on Tuesday, the next ceremony would be on August 19 at Sadhugram. The first shahi-snan is slated for August 29, while the second and the largest “shahi-snan” will be be on September 13. The third one will be on September 18.
Given the unpleasant experience of the 2002 Kumbh Mela that saw 39 pilgrims being killed in a stampede, the Nashik district authorities are not taking any chances.
More than a lakh administrative and police personnel are involved in making the arrangements for the Kumbh Mela A multi-layered fool-proof security arrangement and traffic movement is in place.
While 600-odd CCTVs installed at strategic locations, 24 watch towers have been erected. There is a high-tech control to monitor the goings-on in the Kumbh Mela town and its neighbourhood.