Magh Purnima: Devotees take holy dip at Sangam

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh): Devotees took a holy dip at Sangam in Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Magh Purnima, the full moon night in the Magha month of the Hindu calendar on Saturday morning.

Sacred Offerings at the Confluence of Three Rivers

Devotees also offered prayers at the Sangam, a confluence of three rivers - Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati.

Conclusion of Kalpavas Ritual

Kalpavas, which lasts for one month from Paush Purnima, also ends today.

Austerity and Devotion During Kalpavas

Kalpavas is a spiritual ritual under which, for a month, the Kalpavasi sleeps on the ground on the sand of Sangam, takes a meal once a day, observes austerity, and chants the name of the Almighty.

Previous Holy Dip on Basant Panchami

Earlier, thousands of devotees took a holy dip at Sangam on the occasion of Basant Panchami, the fourth bathing festival of the ongoing 'Magh Mela' in Uttar Pradesh.

Basant Panchami: Welcoming Spring and Honoring Maa Saraswati

The Hindu festival of Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami, Shri Panchami, and Saraswati Panchami, is celebrated on the first day of spring and falls on the fifth day of the month of Magha.

Heralding Holi Preparations

It also heralds the start of Holi preparations, which take place forty days following the feast.

Honoring Maa Saraswati: Goddess of Learning, Music, and Arts

Maa Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, music, and the arts, is honoured throughout the festival.

Legends Associated With The Festival

According to legend, Kalidasa, distraught over his wife's abandonment, planned to commit suicide by drowning himself in a river. He was about to do so when the goddess Saraswati appeared in the water and invited Kalidasa to bathe in it. His life changed after that when he was endowed with wisdom and became a great poet.

Another legend is based on the Hindu god of love, Kama, and according to mythology, Kamadeva once disrupted Lord Shiva's meditation after his wife Sati's death. Seers approached Kama to awaken Shiva from his meditation so that he could reconnect with the world and notice Maa Parvati's efforts for him.

(With ANI inputs)