Modi takes a dip in holy Sangam at Kumbh
Dressed in a deep orange jersey and with rudraksh beads in his hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.;
By : yojna gusai
Update: 2025-02-05 16:53 GMT
New Delhi: Dressed in a deep orange jersey and with rudraksh beads in his hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. Amid the chanting of mantras, the Prime Minister offered prayers to the Sun and the Ganga seeking “peace, wisdom, good health and harmony” for all.
“Blessed to be at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. The snan at the Sangam is a moment of divine connection, and like the crores of others who have taken part in it, I was also filled with a spirit of devotion… May Ma Ganga bless all with peace, wisdom, good health and harmony,” Modi posted on X.
In another post in Hindi, he said, “Today I got the great fortune of performing puja archana after taking a dip in the holy Sangam at Prayagraj Maha Kumbh. I got immense peace and satisfaction from the blessings of Ma Ganga. I prayed to her for the happiness, prosperity, health and well-being of all the countrymen. Har-Har Gange”.
Modi’s visit to the world’s largest religious and spiritual event came at a time when the Opposition has been accusing the BJP-led UP government for not revealing the exact number of deaths during the recent stampede. Some Opposition parties have also slammed the Prime Minister for visiting the Maha Kumbh claiming that the VVIP visit will only disturb the pilgrims.
Sharing pictures of his visit, the Prime Minister captioned the post: “The confluence of faith, devotion and spirituality in the divine and grand Maha Kumbh of Prayagraj is overwhelming everyone”.
His trip lasted around 90 minutes during which there was minimal use of the road, barely three km in the car. He travelled from Prayagraj airport by helicopter to a helipad near the Sangam and later used a motorboat to and fro the confluence of the sacred rivers from Arail Ghat.
This trip was much shorter than Modi’s February 2019 visit to Kumbh when he, in a unique gesture, washed the feet of several sanitation workers as a mark of appreciation for their work and spent around five hours in the Kumbh Mela.
After landing in Prayagraj around 10.30 am Wednesday, Modi took a boat ride from Arail Ghat to the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. He was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The UP CM also shared pictures of Modi’s visit on the social media, saying he offered prayers as per rituals for the “happiness, peace and prosperity” of all countrymen.
On the way, he acknowledged the greetings of crowds that had lined up on both sides of the riverbanks to catch a glimpse of him.
After the holy dip, the Prime Minister performed rituals, including an “aarti” as he got on board a floater, a specially built makeshift platform on the river.
He was dressed in a black jacket, white pyjamas, a saffron stole and a Himachali cap for the “aarti”, during which he offered milk and flowers to the holy rivers. He also offered a “chunari” at the confluence of the rivers. A priest guided the Prime Minister in the rituals.
Security was stepped up for the Prime Minister’s visit, which comes on a day when Assembly polls are under way in Delhi and there are bypolls in Milkipur in Uttar Pradesh. The visit also falls five days after a stampede at the Sangam claimed the lives of at least 30 pilgrims and left another 60 injured.
However, barring some portions mandatory for security protocols, devotees continued to take a dip at other ghats during the VIP visit, officials said. By 2 pm, nearly 60 lakh devotees had taken a dip on Wednesday, they added.