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Prayagraj : Prayagraj Kumbh has attracted people from all walks of life in big numbers. Prayagraj district administration has closed all educational institutions for three days incluy14,15 and 16 January up to class 12 and has also advised degree colleges to close them to avoid inconvenience to the students in view of great rush on fist bathing festive of Kumbh. Entry of buses into the city has been restricted and makeshift bus stations have been developed at all seven entry points of Prayagraj town.
Large number of saints and Sears, common pilgrims and tourists from across the globe are continuously reaching Prayagraj to take Holi dip on the first bathing festival of Makar Sankranti on January 15 at the Sangam the confluence of rivers Ganga,Yamuna and mythical Saraswati. First Royal Bathing Shahid Snan of Akharas is one of the big attraction to the pilgrims and tourists.
The Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj is held in the month of Magh of Hindu calendar when Jupiter is in Aries and Sun and Moon are in Capricorn or Jupiter is in Taurus and Sun in Capricorn. At Prayagraj Kumbh Mela held at every 6 years and Maha Kumbh at every 12 years. Earlier they were known as Ardh Kumbh and Kumbh. But this year Uttarakhand Pradesh government has announced the Ardh Kumbh will be known as Kumbh and Kumbh as Maha Kumbh. The exact dates of bathing during Kumbh are determined according to Hindu astrology.
This Year Prayagraj Kumbh is spread over in 3200 hectares of land which is about 700 hectares more in the camparision of 2013 Maha Kumbh. It has been devided in 20 sectors while in 2013 only 18 sectors were developed. Most of the sectors have taken their shape and Kalpvasis the devotees who spent one month from Paush Purnima to Maggi Purnima as per Hindu calendar are still reaching. Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation has pressed 6000 buses into service to ferry pilgrims and railways has also introduced special trains from different parts of State and country. Most of the long route trains have been given stoppage at Allahabad junction and other railway stations located in Prayagraj district. UPSRTC has also introduced 500 buses in the town to bring pilgrims to Mela area from makeshift bus stations and railway stations. Different air services have also started air connectivity from different major cities including New Delhi,Kolkata,Nagpur, Bhopal, Dehradun, Indore, Bengaluru, Ahmadabad and Lucknow to Prayagraj. A newly constructed civil airport has been opened for operation very soon to operate newly introduced flights.
Mela administration has set up 87 public accomodations in the Mela area in dormetry shape on economic rates to facelift the out station pilgrims. Other agencies have also developed high quality tent cities with all modern amenities to the tourists in different locations. Special tent colony have been set up in Arail area of the Mela for Non Resident Indians who are scheduled to arrive on January 24. Pilgrims and tourists can book tents as per their needs and budget on line through Kumbh Mela website.
Eight kelometre long bathing that’s have been developed at Sangam for holy dip and similarly several other chats are also developed on the banks of river Ganga in different sectors of the Mela. About 12 crores pilgrims and tourists are expected during the Kumbh. Massive security arrangements are in place for smooth passing of first bathing festival and Shahi Snan.
Kumbh Mela-2019, the world’s largest congregation of humanity at one place is all set to take place at Prayagraj early morning on Tuesday, 15th January ,2019. The first bathing festival of Prayagraj Kumbh will be held on the same day. The first Shahi Snan royal bathing of Akharas will be held on the occasion. Which marks the begining of Kumbh. Massive arrangements have been made by Mela administration for peaceful bathing and eleborate security arrangements are also in place for processions of Akharas from their camps to bathing ghats for Shahi bathing. Administration has announced ban on the entry of vehicles into Mela area from tomorrow.
Both national broadcasters of Doordarshan and All India Radio of Prasar Bharati have made massive arrangements to telecast and broadcast the events of Prayagraj Kumbh 2019. All India Radio AIR has set up a separate one kelowat FM transmitter namely Kumbhvani for the purpose. It will be run and maintained by the AIR Allahabad. Broadcast from this FM channel will be initiated from tomorrow at 5.55 AM and it will be continued 10.05 PM. It will be functional by March 4,2019. Broadcast from this special transmitter will be heard in the radius of across 35 kilometers. AIR Allahabad has set up a studio at Kumbh Mela area and it will be functional till March 4 the last bathing festival of the Kumbh Mela. AIR, first time, has also made arrangements for live streaming on U Tube of all programs broadcast from Kumbhvani FM channel.
Live broadcast and telecast of all three Shahi Snan (Bathing) of Akharas on Makar Sankranti 15th January, Mauni Amasya 4th February and Basant Panchami10th February will be made by both Doordarshan and AIR on national hookup. Live coverage of remaining bathing festivals of Paush Purnima, Maghi Purnima and Maha Shivratri will be telecast by DDUP and it will also be available on DD India channel. Doordarshan will start its telecast of special programs on Kumbh Mela from January 15 and about three hours programs based on the activities in the Mela area will be made every day. DD and AIR set up about one dozen booths for live coverage and commentary of Shahi Snan. DD has installed multi camera set up at about half a dozen places across the Mela. Doordarshan has deployed about 150 personnel from Program,Engineering and News wings for the purpose. Both AIR and DD have set up their camps in the Mela area.
