Devotees gathered at the Sangam in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday morning to take a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of Magh Purnima, the full moon night in the Magha month of the Hindu calendar.
At Sangam, which is the confluence of three sacred rivers – Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati, devotees performed rituals and offered prayers.
The month-long Kalpavas, which commenced from Paush Purnima, also concluded on this day. During Kalpavas, devotees observe rigorous spiritual practices such as sleeping on the ground on the sand of Sangam, consuming only one meal a day, practicing austerity, and chanting the name of the Almighty.
Speaking to ANI at Sangam in Uttar Pradesh, Prabhadevi, a devotee from Mirzapur district, shared her profound experience, “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, expressed gratitude for the excellent arrangements made by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. “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,” said Dinesh Mishra.
Prior to this, thousands of devotees had participated in a holy dip at Sangam on the occasion of Basant Panchami, marking the fourth bathing festival of the ongoing ‘Magh Mela’ in Uttar Pradesh.
Basant Panchami, also referred to as Vasant Panchami, Shri Panchami, and Saraswati Panchami, is celebrated on the first day of spring, falling on the fifth day of the month of Magha. This festival also signifies the commencement of preparations for the festival of Holi, which occurs forty days later. Maa Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, music, and the arts, is venerated during this auspicious occasion.
Legend has it that Kalidasa, distressed over his wife’s abandonment, contemplated ending his life by drowning in a river. As he was about to do so, the goddess Saraswati appeared in the water and invited Kalidasa to bathe. His life transformed thereafter, as he was blessed with wisdom and became a renowned poet.
Another mythological tale involves the Hindu god of love, Kama. It is said that Kamadeva once disrupted Lord Shiva’s meditation following the death of his wife Sati. Seers approached Kama to awaken Shiva from his meditation, enabling him to reconnect with the world and acknowledge Maa Parvati’s devotion.
The devotees’ participation in these rituals and their reverence for the sacred sites demonstrate the deep spiritual significance of these events in the Hindu tradition.
