New Delhi:
The 45-day Maha Kumbh -- one of world's largest religious gatherings -- ends today with the final dip at the confluence in Prayagraj on Shivratri.
Here are the top 10 points in this story:
So far, a record 63.36 crore people from every echelon of society have taken the holy dip at Prayagraj's Triveni Sangam - the meeting point of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the long-lost Saraswati.
- Huge arrangements have been made for today's dip that will begin before dawn and ring down the curtains on the festival that takes place every 12 years.
- Since Monday, crowds started swelling at the mela grounds for the final "Amrit Snan" that will begin in the early hours.
- The government has taken comprehensive measures that include efficient crowd management, enhanced sanitation and adequate medical facilities.
- This is complemented by elaborate arrangements for security, transportation and emergency response systems.
- The extra focus on arrangements came after the January 29 stampede on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, in which more than 30 people died and more than 60 were injured.
- It sparked a massive political slugfest that saw most leaders of the Opposition and the BJP joining the fray.
- As the Opposition repeatedly targeted the government, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused them of denigrating religion and culture. PM Modi said it showed a "slave mentality".
- The other big controversy was over reports that suggested that water at the Sangam contained fecal coliform bacteria and was not fit for bathing. Yogi Adityanath issued a denial, accusing critics of spreading misinformation.
- Kumbh, mentioned first in Rig Veda, the oldest Hindu scripture, means a pitcher. The story goes that drops of amrit, the nectar of immortality, had spilled when it was brought up by gods and demons through churning the cosmic ocean. A bath in the rivers at these spots under the right constellations is believed to wash off all sins.
