ALLAHABAD: As the clock strikes 2.12 am early Tuesday morning, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati—Sangam—would be swarming with devotees ready to wash off their sins by taking a dip on the first shahi snan of Kumbh-2019 on Makar Sankranti On the eve of the first shahi snan of Kumbh-2019, pilgrims from all across the globe flocked to the Mela ground. The police team and units of paramilitary forces were seen standing guard at the Mela premises as part of security arrangements.The Kumbh-2019 is expected to be a much bigger affair than the 2013 Mahakumbh, given the sheer size of logistics and preparations. Organised on 3,200 hectare of an area, the 35 ghats of the venue are expected to accommodate over 15 crore devotees during the 49-day event.From attending religious discourses and bhajan sandhyas to performing rituals like gau daan and shastra pujan, the congregation has a lot to offer for everyone.The 13 akharas who have set up camps on the Mela ground are busy making preparations for the rituals to be performed before the shahi snan.The Prayagraj Mela Authority (PMA) expects over 1.2 crore pilgrims to take a dip in Sangam on Tuesday.Talking about the various rituals observed by akharas during a shahi snan, the city-based religious scholar Pandit Ram Naresh Tripathi, said, "Saints would take a dip in Sangam along with their shastras (weapons).""The akharas also worship their ishta devta (deity) during the shahi snan. The deity is then placed on a special palki and is taken for a bath in the Sangam," said Tripathi.All 13 akharas have been allotted with the time slots and a specific area for taking a bath during the shahi snan. The Mela police has also created a special corridor for the akharas.The first akhara to take a dip in Sangam on Makar Sankranti would be Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirwani Shri Panchayati Atal Akhara. It would be followed by Shri Panchayati Niranjani Akhara Taponidhi Shri Panchayati Anand Akhara, Shri Panchayati Dashnaam Juna Akhara, Shri Panch Dashnaam Awahan Akhara, Shri Shambhu Panch Akhara, Akhil Bhartiya Shri Panch Nirmohi Ani Akhara, Shri Panch Digambar Ani Akhara, Akhil Bharatiya Shri Panch Nirwani Ani Akhara, Shri Panchayati Akhara Naya Udaseen, Shri Panchayati Bada Udaseen and Shri Panchayati Akhara Nirmal.The prominent seers and mahamandleshwars would be arriving on ghats in decorated silver chariots.The Naga sadhus would be performing a ritual called 'jal kreeda' ( playing in water).Tripathi said, "The Naga saints step into the water but do not let it rise above their knees as they consider rivers to be their mother."

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