Rajvir Singh Jhala (20), a BBA student from Rajkot took the holy dip right at the Sangam nose, as did his mother and other family members who arrived in Prayagraj from Gujarat in a bus on Wednesday night.”Lord Shiva for me means ‘Shunyata’, one must feel that he is she is nothing in front of him. Besides, one must have goodness inside. If one has dirt inside, washing oneself in holy Sangam will not even cleanse any sin,” Jhala told PTI right after the ‘snan’.As pilgrims milled around and took the holy dip at various ghats at or near the confluence site, security personnel kept a vigilant eye, not allowing crowding at any place for long duration, as they sought to manage the sea of pilgrims pouring into the mela grounds.Pilgrims also came from West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, covering literally the length and breadth of the country.A group of pilgrims also came all the way from Nepal to witness the Maha Kumbh on its closing day and take the holy dip on Maharashivratri.Pinki Devi from Kolkata who perform the bathing rituals around 3.30 am, was ecstatic that she could take the holy dip on the auspicious day of Mahashivratri.Many chanted ‘Har Har Mahadev’ or ‘Jai Mahakal’ adding to the religious fervour at the Mela ground.Mahashivratri commemorates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds special significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela.According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a crucial role in the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), which led to the emergence of the Amrit Kumbh (nectar pitcher), the very essence of the Kumbh Mela.
Source link
