Accompanied by her 40-member team, Laurene landed at Prayagraj on Saturday night and entered the Maha Kumbh mela area on Sunday noon.
Spiritual leader Swami Kailashanand Giri said, “She is in my ‘shivir’. She has never been to such a crowded place. She has got some allergies. She is very simple…All those people who have never seen our tradition – they all want to join us.”
Devotees on Tuesday took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam on Makar Sankranti which marks the first ‘Amrit Snan’ of the Mahakumbh. Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival which marks the transition of the Sun from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere.
According to the press release, Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani and Shri Shambhu Panchayati Atal Akhara will be the first ones to take Amrit Snan.
Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand of Juna Akhara said that the seven Shaivite Akhads would take the holy dip first, which would be followed by the three Vaishnavite Akhadas.”Among the akhadas, the seven Shaivite akhadas will come out first, then the three Vaishnavite akhadas and then the rest, but first the sanyasis come out together, their seven akhadas will come out first…” the Sadhu said.Maha Kumbh is one of the largest and most significant religious congregation in the world, held every 12 years at one of four locations in India.
The Maha Kumbh-2025, which is Poorna Kumbh will take place till February 26, 2025. Key ‘snan’ dates include January 14 (Makar Sankranti – First Shahi Snan), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya – Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami – Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).
