PM Modi takes holy dip in Triveni Sangam at Maha Kumbh

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, February 5, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a ’holy dip’ in the sangam, the confluence of three rivers - the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati - in Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is being held, on Wednesday morning. Wearing a bright saffron jacket and blue trackpants, and holding ’rudraksha’ beads, Mr Modi chanted prayers as he took several full body dips in the river waters.

Earlier today he took a boat tour of the sangam with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Apart from the gathering of lakhs of Hindu devotees from around the world, the Kumbh this year made headlines for a tragic stampede exactly seven days ago in which 30 people were killed.

Visuals showed the near bank crowded with thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of people thronging and jostling with each other to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister.

Mr Modi visits the Maha Kumbh as the national capital votes in a critical Assembly election; the Prime Minister’s BJP is bidding to stop the ruling AAP of Arvind Kejriwal from claiming a third successive term and, to a much lesser extent, analysts say, ward off the Congress’ challenge.

This morning, before setting out for his ’holy dip’, the Prime Minister posted on X encouraging Delhi voters to exercise their rights. "I urge the voters here to participate in this festival of democracy with full enthusiasm and cast their valuable vote," he wrote in Hindi.

दिल्ली विधानसभा चुनाव में आज सभी सीटों के लिए वोट डाले जाएंगे। यहां के मतदाताओं से मेरा आग्रह है कि वे लोकतंत्र के इस उत्सव में पूरे उत्साह के साथ हिस्सा लें और अपना कीमती वोट जरूर डालें। इस अवसर पर पहली बार वोट देने जा रहे सभी युवा साथियों को मेरी विशेष शुभकामनाएं। याद रखना है-…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 5, 2025

The PM is the second high-profile figure from the BJP to take a ’holy dip’ this Kumbh; last week, two days before the stampede, Home Minister Amit Shah and his family also paid their respects.

His visit today also comes weeks after he inaugurated 167 development projects, worth Rs 5,500 crore, in Prayagraj. The Maha Kumbh received similar attention, with large-scale investments in roads, sanitation, security, and digital services ahead of the religious event.

Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk also visited Prayagraj for the Kumbh. Accompanied by the Chief Minister, he participated in spiritual activities, visited the Lete Hanuman Mandir, and explored the Digital Mahakumbh Experience Centre.