Maha Kumbh Nagar: The saints of Akharas, Naga Sadhus and millions of devotees took ‘Amrit Snan’ of the Maha Kumbh Mela on Tuesday on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani and Shri Shambhu Panchayati Atal Akhara were the first ones to take 'Amrit Snan' on Makar Sankranti. Spiritual leader Swami Kailashanand Giri on Tuesday led the processions of the Niranjani Akhara for the first Amrit Snan of Maha Kumbh on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti.
The first 'Amrit Snan' is special in many ways. It took place a day after the first major 'snan' on Monday in the Sangam area on the occasion of 'Paush Purnima'. Thirteen Akharas of seers from different sects are participating in the Maha Kumbh.
Renowned for its emphasis on yoga, meditation, and the pursuit of spiritual knowledge, Niranjani Akhara is one of the significant Akharas who participate in this sacred gathering. The teachings focus on the transformative power of inner exploration, guiding practitioners toward spiritual awakening.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that more than 3.50 crore devotees, saints and sadhus took holy bath at Sangam on the first Amrit Snan day. "On the successful completion of the first Amrit Snan festival, heartfelt thanks to all the revered Akharas based on Sanatan Dharma, Mahakumbh Mela administration, local administration, police administration, sanitation workers, voluntary organizations and religious institutions, boatmen and all the departments of the Central and State Government associated with Mahakumbh and congratulations to the people of the state! May the virtues bear fruit, let Mahakumbh go on," he said on X.
आस्था, समता और एकता के महासमागम 'महाकुम्भ-2025, प्रयागराज' में पावन 'मकर संक्रांति' के शुभ अवसर पर पवित्र संगम में आस्था की पवित्र डुबकी लगाने वाले सभी पूज्य संतगणों, कल्पवासियों व श्रद्धालुओं का हार्दिक अभिनंदन!
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) January 14, 2025
प्रथम अमृत स्नान पर्व पर आज 3.50 करोड़ से अधिक पूज्य संतों/श्र… pic.twitter.com/awRyDY5OkH
CM Yogi described this sacred event as a living testament to India's eternal culture and faith. Earlier the CM also wished the people of the state on Makar Sankranti, "Heartiest congratulations to the people of the state, all revered saints, devotees and followers on Makar Sankranti! This is a festival to express gratitude to the Sun God, the father of the universe."
At Triveni Sangam, chants of 'Har Har Mahadev', 'Jai Shri Ram', and 'Jai Ganga Maiyya' could be heard everywhere as the devotees moved towards the bathing area in groups despite the freezing waters during the cold winter season.
Sadhus of the 13 Akhadas of Sanatan Dharm take a holy dip at Triveni Sangam - a sacred confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and 'mystical' Saraswati, on Tuesday.
13 akharas participate
The 13 akhadas are divided into three groups -- Sanyasi (Shaivite), Bairagi (Vaishnav) and Udaseen. The Shaivite akhadas include Shree Panch Dashnam Juna Akhada, Shree Panchayati Akhada Niranjani, Shree Shambhu Panchayati Atal Akhada, Shree Panchayati Akhada Mahanirvani, Shree Shambhu Panchagni Akhada, Shree Panchdashnam Aavahan Akhada and Taponidhi Shri Anand Akhada Panchayti.
People in large numbers were seen arriving at the Maha Kumbh on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
#WATCH | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh | Anand Akhada Acharya Mandleswar Balkanand ji Maharaj leads the processions for the first Amrit Snan of #MahaKumbhMela2025🕉️on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti.
— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2025
Sadhus of the 13 akhadas of Sanatan Dharm will take holy dip at Triveni… pic.twitter.com/fptLFfKOhI
The Maha Kumbh Mela administration has issued an order about the date, order and time for 'Amrit Snan' of 13 Akharas of the Sanatan Dharma on Makar Sankranti and Basant Panchami, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement on Monday.
The Akharas had received information about the dates of 'Amrit Snan' and their bathing order. Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Ravindra Puri told news agency PTI earlier that the first 'Amrit Snan' of this Maha Kumbh would begin at 5.30 am on Tuesday.
He also said the common terms such as 'shahi snan' and 'peshwai' associated with the Kumbh have been changed to 'Amrit Snan' and 'Chhavni Pravesh' respectively.
Asked what prompted them to coin the terminologies, Mahant Puri, who is also the president of the Mansa Devi Temple Trust in Haridwar, said, "All of us speak words in Hindi and Urdu. It cannot happen that we do not speak any Urdu word."
"But we thought that when it comes to our Gods, we should make efforts to have a name in Sanskrit language or have a 'Sanatani' name. Our intention is not to make it as Hindus versus Muslims," he added.
This 'Amrit Snan' will be the first such 'snan' after the grand Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, according to Ashutosh Varshney, the convener of Prayagraj-based Ram Naam Bank (an NGO).
#WATCH | Prayagraj | Naga sadhus of Niranjani and Anand Akharas proceed for 'Amrit Snan' at #MahaKumbhMela2025 pic.twitter.com/oXZ5NJiNsl
— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2025
"It is a divine coincidence that two 'snans' in the Maha Kumbh are on consecutive days. The major 'snan' of 'Paush Purnima' was on Monday while the Makar Sankranti is on Tuesday," Varshney said. "As a result of this, a large number of devotees, seers and commoners from different walks of life have already descended on the holy city of Prayagraj," he added.
The present edition of the Kumbh is being held after 12 years, though seers claim the celestial permutations and combinations for the event are taking place after 144 years, making the occasion even more auspicious.
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