Keypoints:
- Amid the Covid surge across the country, lakhs of devotees have been gathering for the holy dip in the banks of river Ganga.
- This year, the Kumbh Mela is being held from April 1 to 30, the period won’t be cut short amid the rise in covid cases.
- Maha Kumbh Mela’s first Shahi Snan was held on the occasion of Mahashivratri on March 11.
- On Tuesday, Uttarakhand’s CM Tirath Singh Rawat had said that Kumbh cannot be compared to Nizamuddin Markaz as Kumbh is being held in an open space and Markaz was held in a closed space.
On Wednesday, an official said that Kumbh Mela at Haridwar will continue as it is and there is no information of it being curtailed. Amid the Covid-19 scare and the alarming situation, people have gathered near the banks of Ganga to take the holy dip,also for the Ganga Arti.
Deepak Rawat, who is the District magistrate of Haridwar and also the Kumbh Mela officer,he has said that the event of Kumbh Mela used begin in January but due to the Covid situation,the state government decided to start it in April this time.
“The Centre’s SOP said because of the situation, the duration would be reduced. I have no information of it being curtailed,” he said.
The state government has said that till 6pm, a whopping 13,51,631 devotees had taken a dip on what is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Kumbh.
On Tuesday, Uttarakhand’s CM Tirath Singh Rawat had said that there is no comparison between Kumbh and Nizamuddin Markaz because Kumbh is being held in an open space and Markaz was held in a closed space.
“There is no comparison between Markaz and Kumbh. Markaz was in a closed hall. All the people slept in a single hall with close contacts. They shared blankets. On the contrary, there are 16 ghats in Kumbh. Not just Haridwar, Kumbh is spread from Rishikesh to Nilkanth. Devotees take bath in different ghats at different times,” he said.
Kumbh Mela IG Sanjay Gunjyal has said that they are continuously appealing to people to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour but it is difficult to ensure social distancing at ghats. He had also added that a stampede-like situation may arise if they would try to enforce social distancing.
