Thousands of devotees took holy dips on Mauni Amavasya, a special day that marks the new moon (Amavasya) of the Hindu month of Magha, on January 18. By the close of the day, the festive celebration brings around 3 to 4 crore pilgrims, each anxious to perform a pre-dawn dip in sacred rivers, believed to cleanse the soul and contain the spiritual equivalent of a Ganga Snan (bath in the Ganges).
Sacred Confluence and Rituals
The celebrations took place at the Triveni Sangam, the sacred intersection where the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet. A devotee may have prayed mantras with deep silence as he or she washed in the holy waters. Besides bathing in the pool, ritual tarpan (offering water to ancestors) and pind daan (offering rice balls) were ritual rituals traditionally performed by the community, believed to relieve pitru dosha (karmic debt as it relates to ancestors). One pilgrim had a deep experience after the holy dip was made, and said that he felt new, clean. They also congratulated the meticulous arrangements made by the authorities maintaining movement and safety of its pilgrims going over this large venue.
Safety and Arrangements
They had implemented peak security measures such as drones for aerial surveillance and pontoon bridges to protect devotees from spilling out across the riverbank. Those efforts helped control the crowds and reduce the chance of accidents as the crowd was also enormous.
Similar Festivities at Ayodhya
At the same time, the Saryu River in Ayodhya had similar manifestations of devotion and the ongoing Magh Mela on January 3-February 15 has drawn innumerable worshippers. The Magh Mela here too, was surrounded by crowds of ritual worshippers bathing and praying, turning it into a grand show of devotion and tradition.
The Mauni Amavasya 2026 was an amazing display of faith and dedication, where millions gathered at places of worship to gain spiritual purification and blessings. The great care for this ancient Indian festival reflects the significance of this festival in many of our societies and cultures.
