Ujjain: More than 75 million people attended the month-long Kumbh Mela that ended on May 21 in a central Indian city.
Ujjain turned a sea of humanity, some drawn from abroad, on the last day of ‘shahi snan’ (royal bath) of the Simhastha-Kumbh Mela. People braved sultry weather to take a dip in the Kshipra River and get their sins cleansed.
The last day began in the wee hours on Saturday with Hindu religious men such as Naga sadhus of various akharas entering the river praising Lord Shiva. The third royal bath coincided with Buddh Purnima (full moon day), priest Ishwar Sharma said.
The Press Trust of India quoted Madhya Pradesh Transport Minister and in charge of Simhastha Mela Bhupendra Singh as saying hundreds of thousands of people converged from several parts of the country to take the holy dip.
The minister also claimed that a total of 75 million people took part in the festival.
All roads in Ujjain were packed with devotees jostling to reach the banks of Kshipra for the holy dip.
The minister termed the Simhastha, which was organized here after a gap of every 12 years, as a “grand success.”
A squall that hit the festival on May 5 claimed seven lives and damaged 700 tents.
The minister also informed that there was no pollution in the river and maintained that good hygiene condition prevailed at bathing places and also in Ujjain city.
He said nearly 10,000 foreigners visited Ujjain during the month-long mela.
A devotee from Ireland, Brendan Lawlor, said, “I have enjoyed my stay in Ujjain and the arrangements in the holy city were very good.”
A French lady, Sonia Koszul, also praised arrangements at the Simhastha mela.
“I got interested in attending this religious fair after coming to know about it through the internet,” she said.
Physically-challenged devotee from Chhattisgarh, said he was here since last nine days and had not faced any difficulty.
Aides of Baba Krishnanand, a wheelchair-bound centenarian spiritual leader, who arrived here from Haridwar also praised the arrangements at the massive congregation of Hindus.
However, pilgrims coming different parts of the country faced difficulty in reaching the main bathing places and had to walk at least 4-5 km in scorching heat.