Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 23 : In just 11 days of the Mahakumbh, more than 97.3 million devotees, Kalpavasis and revered seers have taken a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.
With this unprecedented turnout of devotees, the total number of participants expected to touch the 100 million mark by the end of today the 11th day of the festival.
As per the data of the Uttar Pradesh government, on Thursday as of now over 16.98 lakhs people took dip in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati.
The Uttar Pradesh government estimates that more than 45 crore people will attend the Maha Kumbh this time, according to an official statement.
Among the sea of visitors, various 'babas' stand out, especially those who carry their distinct identity. One such figure is Rajpal Singh, also known as 'Pahalwan Baba', with the mission to "awaken" the youth. He has become a prominent presence at the gathering, blending spirituality with a call for healthy lifestyle.
"My objective is to awaken the youth, eradicate drugs, make everyone healthy, and make India a Vishwaguru... I am 50 years old, and I can do 10,000 push-ups with one hand. If I can work so hard at this age, the youth can do four times more," Rajpal Singh said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took the holy dip in Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Wednesday.
Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brajesh Pathak and other cabinet ministers were with the CM. The UP CM was seen offering thanks to God as he and his ministers took part in this spiritual moment.
"Uttar Pradesh Aerospace and Defence and employment policy has completed 5 years. It will be renewed. New incentives have been announced to attract more investment," Yogi said.
CM Yogi announced the issuing of Municipal corporation bonds for Prayagraj Varanasi and Agra.
"And bonds will be issued in these three important municipal corporations of Prayagraj, Varanasi and Agra. Till now we have issued bonds of Lucknow and Ghaziabad. Very good results have come out of this. This is an important medium for branding the municipal corporation and for its development and a new vision," CM Yogi said.
Apart from that authorities are focusing on preparations for the upcoming Mauni Amavasya on January 29, anticipating large crowds of devotees.