For the 'Shahi Snan' of Magh Mela 2026, tourists from all over the nation came to the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj to take a sacred dip in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati rivers. Divisional Commissioner Saumya Agarwal praised the administration's arrangements on Sunday and reported that the first auspicious bathing ritual of Paush Purnima went well.

By 3 PM on Saturday, about 24 lakh people had taken a holy dip in the Ganges in Prayagraj for Paush Purnima, the first bathing day of the Magh Mela. According to the office of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in Varanasi, 1 million devotees have taken a dip in the Ganges at various ghats. In Ayodhya, 5.5 lakh devotees participated, and in Mathura, 2.5 lakh devotees took the ritual bath.

The Magh Mela of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, takes place at the Triveni Sangam, where the sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati converge. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in India. The pilgrimage is named after the Hindu month of Magh, which usually falls in January and February. The Prayag Magh Mela lasts for 45 days, starting on Paush Purnima, the full moon day of the month of Paush, and ending on Mahashivaratri, covering the entire month of Magh. The event begins with the snan, or ritual dip, on the full moon day of Paush.

Throughout the fair, there are six ritual snans: on Paush Purnima, Makar Sankranti (the start of Magh), Shattila Ekadashi (the day during the waning phase of the moon in Magh), Mauni Amavasya (the no moon day in Magh when people vow to stay silent), Basant Panchami (also known as Magha Shukla Panchami, the fifth day of the waxing phase of the moon in Magh), Achala Saptami (the seventh day of the waxing phase of the moon in Magh, celebrated as the birthday of Lord Surya), Jaya Ekadashi (the fasting day on the eleventh day of the waxing phase of the moon in Magh), and Magh Purnima (the full moon day in Magh).

The annual Magh Mela becomes the Kumbh Mela every fourth year at Prayag and the Maha Kumbh Mela every twelfth year, attracting millions of devoted pilgrims to the grand event.

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