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Magha Purnima Draws Massive Crowds to Prayagraj as Officials Count About 2.1 Crore Bathers

The full-moon bath capped the Kalpvas month under tight security across expanded facilities.

Overview

  • Purnima tithi ran from 5:52 am on February 1 to 3:38 am on February 2, with widely cited early snan muhurat around 5:24–6:17 am.
  • By evening, Prayagraj authorities reported roughly 2.1 crore ritual bathers, contrasting with earlier expectations of about 1 crore.
  • The day marked the concluding dip for kalpvasis ending their month-long austerities, while the Magh Mela continues toward the February 15 Mahashivratri bath.
  • Administrators enforced no-vehicle zones near the Sangam and deployed SDRF/NDRF teams, over 10,000 police, 25,000+ toilets, 3,500 sanitation staff, CCTV and drones, with operations reported smooth despite fog and cold.
  • Large turnouts were also reported at Kashi, Haridwar, Ayodhya and other ghats, with Varanasi restricting boats and traffic as Indian Railways added special arrangements for crowds.