Prayagraj: Union Home Minister Amit Shah accompanied by saints from various maths, temples, and Akharas took a sacred dip at the Triveni Sangam during ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Monday.
Amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras, the saint community guided the ritual, sprinkling holy water from Ganga river on the Home Minister and performing traditional puja-archana. Following the holy dip, the Home Minister and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performed a special puja and participated in the Sangam Aarti at the site.
Joining Amit Shah in the sacred rituals were his wife Sonal Shah, son Jai Shah, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters, making it a family occasion steeped in spirituality. On this significant occasion, CM Yogi presented a Kumbh Kalash to the Home Minister as a gesture of tradition and respect.
The saint community honoured Shah with garlands, sandalwood paste, and a tilak, further marking the sanctity of the moment.
Home Minister Shah and CM Yogi, dressed in saffron attire, took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam, accompanied by prominent saints including Juna Peethadheeshwar Avdheshanand, Niranjani Peethadheeshwar Kailashanand, Akhada Parishad President Ravindra Puri, and Baba Ramdev.
The saints performed the Vedic rituals, sprinkling the sacred Sangam water on the Home Minister. Following this, the Home Minister offered ‘Arghya’ to the Sun. The Teertha purohits then conducted a special puja for both the Home Minister and the Chief Minister at the Sangam site, culminating in a grand Sangam Aarti.
The chants of Maa Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati echoed across the holy site, creating a spiritually uplifting atmosphere. The youngest members of the Shah family also received blessings from the saints.
Amid the resonating chants of Har Har Mahadev, Shah, and Yogi bowed in devotion to Maa Ganga and Lord Bhaskar. After taking a holy dip in the Sangam, the Home Minister Amit Shah performed prayers and worship amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras and slokas.
Following the worship, a grand Sangam Aarti was conducted, with the Home Minister’s entire family, including his wife, son, and daughter-in-law, participating in the rituals.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath later presented a silver Kumbh Kalash to the Home Minister before they proceeded to Akshaya Vat.
The ritual was graced by the presence of revered saints such as Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Avdheshanand Giri of Juna Akhara, Peethadheeshwar Kailashanand of Niranjani Akhara, Baba Ramdev, Akhada Parishad President Ravindra Puri, Harigiri of Juna Akhara and senior Mahants of various Akharas.
Earlier, the Home Minister and the CM arrived at the VIP Ghat in Arail, where they boarded a cruise to the Sangam. The leaders paid obeisance to Maa Ganga, fed Siberian birds, and held a special discussion on Maha Kumbh arrangements with Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Avdheshanand, Mahant Hari Giri and Mahant Prem Giri in a private room on the cruise.
During the Sangam snan, Baba Ramdev and Satua Baba assisted CM Yogi Adityanath in the ritual dip. Post the bath, Swami Ramdev guided the CM in performing a special yoga pose, ‘Tadasana’.
After taking the holy dip at Sangam, Home Minister Shah visited Akshaya Vat in Maha Kumbh Nagar. CM Yogi formally received the Home Minister on their arrival at Akshaya Vat.
Subsequently, the chief priest conducted a puja amid chanting of Vedic hymns. Shah, joined by Yogi Adityanath, performed the Akshayvat Aarti and offered flowers. Following the rituals, the Home Minister, the CM and members of the Sant Samaj completed the ‘parikrama’ of Akshaya Vat and discussed the preparations for the upcoming Maha Kumbh events.
Shah, accompanied by his family, including his wife Sonal Shah, son Jai Shah, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters, also participated in the worship. The Shah family marked the occasion with a group photograph before the sacred tree. Discussions with the saints under Akshaya Vat further focused on refining the Maha Kumbh arrangements.
During his visit to Maha Kumbh Nagar the Home Minister described the grand event as the ‘Maha Kumbh of Unity, emphasising its deep cultural and spiritual significance. In a heartfelt message on X, he described Maha Kumbh as a ‘unique symbol of Sanatan culture’s timeless flow’, reflecting India’s eternal philosophy of life and harmonious traditions.
Expressing his enthusiasm, he said, “Today, I am eager to take a holy dip in the Sangam and seek the blessings of saints at this grand festival of unity and integrity in the sacred city of Prayagraj.”
Upon his arrival in Prayagraj, Shah received a grand welcome from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and BJP State President Bhupendra Chaudhary.
UNI
