Prayagraj: Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty, took a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam as she took part in the Maha Kumbh Mela, which is underway here, on Tuesday.
She will also take a holy dip on Wednesday. Sudha Murthy, wife of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy, also worshipped the Sun god. She praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the arrangements.
"The Maha Kumbh has been organised under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath. I am older than Yogi Adityanath and so I am giving him blessings. The organisation of Maha Kumbh is a symbol of culture and Sanskar. People have been coming to the Maha Kumbh for ages. It has been mentioned in our religious books and hence I also came to take a holy dip," added Sudha Murthy.
Earlier in the day, Murthy, who arrived at the Maha Kumbh, expressed her joy for being a part of the special religious event. She is on a three-day visit to the Maha Kumbh.
"I am very excited because this is 'Teerthraj'. It (Maha Khumbh) came after 144 years and I am excited, hopeful and extremely happy. I am here for three days," she had said.
Murty, a celebrated author and philanthropist, is known for her simple lifestyle. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023 and the Padma Shri in 2006 for her contribution to the field of social work. She has contributed to English and Kannada literature and retired as the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation on December 31, 2021. Murty is the mother-in-law of former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, which began on January 13, has witnessed a continuous flow of devotees. By 6 pm on the eighth day of the festival on Monday, over 5.33 million devotees had taken the holy dip.
Overall around 87.9 million pilgrims have taken a dip in the Sangam Triveni as of January 20. People strongly believe that taking a dip at Sangam Triveni washes away their sins and also paves the way to Heaven Maha Kumbh is one of the largest and most significant religious congregations in the world.
Uttar Pradesh police deployed over 10,000 personnel, including local police and paramilitary forces for the event's security. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed "water ambulance" stationed at Sangam to ensure the safety of devotees. The Maha Kumbh began on January 13 and will continue until February 26.
