On Saturday morning, devotees took a holy dip at Sangam in Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Magh Purnima, the full moon night of the Magha month in the Hindu calendar.
Devotees also prayed at the Sangam, a confluence of three rivers: the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati.
Kalpavas, which lasts one month starting with Paush Purnima, also ends today.
Kalpavas is a spiritual ritual in which the Kalpavasi sleeps on the ground on the sand of Sangam for a month, eats just once a day, practices austerity, and chants the name of the Almighty.
Speaking on ANI at Sangam in Uttar Pradesh, Prabhadevi, a devotee from Mirzapur district said, “I came here for a month-long Kalpvas, and today, on the day of Purnima, my spiritual journey is complete. I’ve been here since January 24th. Yesterday, I also performed Sija Daan, and tomorrow I will return home. I sought forgiveness from Mother Ganga for all my mistakes.”
Another devotee, Dinesh Mishra, complimented Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the superb arrangements.
“Being here on the auspicious day of Magh Purnima at Sangam is incredibly fortunate. Yogi Ji has arranged everything so well that there are no issues, and we are enjoying excellent facilities. It feels like we are in heaven,” Dinesh Mishra said.
Earlier, thousands of devotees took a holy dip at Sangam on the occasion of Basant Panchami, the fourth bathing festival of Uttar Pradesh’s ongoing ‘Magh Mela’.
Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami, Shri Panchami, and Saraswati Panchami, is a Hindu festival observed on the first day of spring, which is the fifth day of the month of Magha. It also marks the beginning of Holi preparations, which occur forty days after the feast. Maa Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, music, and the arts, is celebrated during the festival.
According to legend, Kalidasa, upset about his wife’s abandonment, intended to commit suicide by drowning in a river. He was ready to do so when the goddess Saraswati appeared in the water and requested Kalidasa to take a bath there. His life changed after that when he gained insight and rose to prominence as a poet.
Another legend is based on the Hindu god of love, Kama, and according to folklore, Kamadeva once interrupted Lord Shiva’s meditation following the loss of his wife Sati. Seers contacted Kama to awaken Shiva from his concentration so that he might reconnect with the world and recognize Maa Parvati’s efforts on his behalf.