Magh Mela living expression of India’s Sanatan tradition: Adityanath

Lucknow, Dec 26 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that Magh Mela is not merely a religious gathering, but a living expression of India’s Sanatan tradition, social discipline and administrative excellence.

The Magh Mela-2026 will be held at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj from January 3 to February 15.

Conducting a review of the arrangements for the fair, Adityanath said, “Ensuring a safe, clean and well-managed environment for the devotees arriving from across the country and abroad remains the government’s foremost priority.” The traditions of ‘Kalpavas’, ritual bathing and spiritual practices at the Sangam form the core of India’s cultural consciousness, he added.

Adityanath said that 15-25 lakh devotees are expected to observe Kalpavas this year alone, and there is widespread enthusiasm for the Magh Mela following the successful organisation of the Maha Kumbh earlier this year, both in India and abroad.

The Magh Mela conveys the values of restraint, harmony and service to society, Adityanath said, as he directed the concerned officials to preserve its spiritual sanctity while ensuring that devotees face no inconvenience at any level.

He also instructed the home department to ensure that no VIP protocol is implemented during the major bathing festivals and issue necessary guidelines in this regard.

The secretaries in all the concerned departments, along with the ADGP (Law and Order), must personally visit the fair site to review the preparations and ensure that all arrangements are in place by December 31, Adityanath said.

The divisional commissioner of Prayagraj informed the meeting that major bathing occasions, including Paush Purnima, Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya, Basant Panchami, Maghi Purnima and Mahashivratri, will be observed during the 44-day period of the fair.

The Mela area has been expanded to around 800 hectares, and the number of sectors has been increased from five to seven, officials said.

The total length of the bathing ghats has been enhanced by nearly 50 per cent compared to the previous Magh Mela.

A comprehensive action plan covering 42 parking facilities, nine pontoon bridges, an upgraded internal road network and streamlined traffic management for the convenience of devotees is in its final stages, the officials said.

Around 450 CCTV cameras are being installed for the Mela, of which 250 have already been commissioned, they said, adding that an AI-enabled surveillance and crowd management system is being put in place across the fair area.

The meeting was also informed that several modern initiatives are being introduced for the convenience of the devotees, including app-based bike/taxi services, extensive directional signage, QR code-based identification on electric poles, geo-tube technology to prevent riverbank erosion, and prefabricated sewage treatment plants. PTI NAV ARI