PRAYAGRAJ, India, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The 49-day spiritual bathing festival called "KUMBH MELA" ended on Monday in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, considered as one of the largest religious and spiritual gatherings in the world.
During the festival an estimated 220 million devotees and tourists, including domestic and foreigners, took the holy dip in the confluence of three rivers - Ganga, Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati, called "Sangam" in the Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh.
It is believed that one gets rid of all the sins committed in one's lifetime by taking the holy dip at the "Sangam."
Indian government official sources said that the festival found a place in the "Guinness World Records" on three counts, namely largest traffic and crowd management plan, the biggest painting exercise of public sites under paint my city scheme and biggest sanitation and waste disposal mechanism.
An official statement issued by the Indian government on Monday stated that a three-member team from "Guinness World Records" visited the Prayagraj for this purpose. Exercise at large scale were done before the team members for three days from Feb. 28 to March 3. Around 503 shuttle buses were pressed into service in one go for the team on Feb. 28 on the highway, it added.
Several people participated in a painting exercise on March 1 and 10,000 workers engaged in cleaning the area spread over an area of 3,200 hectares, where a tent city had come up to accommodate the visitors.
Monday witnessed the final auspicious day of bathing on the occasion of "Mahashivratri" out of the six royal bathing days during the 49-day event. Out of the previous five royal bathing occasions, three major ones fell on Jan. 15, Feb. 4 and Feb. 10.
An estimated 10 million people gathered for taking the holy dip on Monday alone, claimed local administration officials. Considering heavy rush, elaborate traffic arrangements were made within the city. To avoid traffic snarls, most of the routes were made one-way and the heavy vehicles diverted through nearby cities and towns, said a local traffic cop.
The festival takes places every six years and assumes significance among Indians, particularly the Hindu community. The Grand Finale of the festival is held every 12 years. The next festival falling in 2025 will be the Grand Finale.
Xinhua spoke to several devotees on the occasion. Sivaram Das Vardharajan brought his 65-year old mother all the way from southern state Tamil Nadu to enable her to take the holy dip at the "Sangam."
"Since this festival happens after every six years and the Grand Finale after every 12 years, this holds enough significance for the devotees, especially among the old. My mother had a long wish to come here and take the holy dip, at least once in her life time. I am lucky to have fulfilled her wish," he said.
