7 lakh pilgrims take holy dip on first Shahi Snan, less than last Kumbh

NASHIK/TRIMBAKESHWAR: Around seven lakh pilgrims, including 1 lakh sadhus, from across the country took a holy dip on the first Shahi Snan of Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar on Saturday. The numbers were less than the first Shahi Snan of the 2003 Kumbh when 12.5 lakh people had assembled in Nashik on this day and taken the holy dip, but the excitement was palpable as sadhus, pilgrims and locals started moving towards the ghats from early Saturday morning.
Ramkund reverberated with the sound of conch shells and aarti at the break of dawn and witnessed the first snan by Nirvani Ani Akhada that reached Ramkund at 7 am in a royal procession accompanied by more than 200 khalsas from sadhugram.This was followed by Digambar Akhada and then Nirmohi Akhada. The akhadas were running two hours behind schedule.
The police arrangement at the ghats was impeccable, said pilgrims, pleased with the systematic manner in which crowds were being released in batches for the holy dip. While sadhus were given time till about 10.15 am for their snan, other pilgrims were allowed into the ghats after that. "Last time, it took two to three hours to reach the ghat. This time it took me just half an hour," said a pilgrim. The creation of seven new ghats too helped, with the crowds divided among all of them.
Around 5.5 lakh pilgrims including 50,000 sadhus took the holy dip in Ramkund and another while 1.5 lakh pilgrims including 70,000 sadhus in Trimbakeshwar finished their Shahi Snan by 6 pm. The police department was expecting some 25 lakh pilgrims including sadhus to come for the holy dip and had made arrangements accordingly. Officials said pilgrim numbers would swell in September, when there are three big events, including two Shahi Snans.
READ ALSO: Things you need to know about the 2015 Kumbh at Nashik
Chief of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, Mahant Gyandas Maharaj along with Shri Mahant of Nirvani Ani Akhada, Dharamdasji Maharaj performed puja of the ceremonial flag bearing the emblem of Lord Hanuman before taking the holy dip. This was followed by the Digambar Ani Akhada's 400 khalsas and then the Nirmohi Ani Akhada's 60 khalsas taking the dip. The sadhus, who were not part of akhadas, then got their chance to bathe in the Godavari followed by pilgrims.
The processions were a sight in both Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. Shaivite Sadhus in Trimbakeshwar marched to the Kushawart ghat with banjos and bands playing songs of bholenath, chanting 'Har Har Mahadeo' and 'Har Har Gangey'. The processions started with Juna Akhada leading the show from Pimplad at 2.30am to reach the venue by 4.15am, its scheduled time. This was followed by the other Akhadas.
READ ALSO: Khandesh cuisine, Naga Sadhus are the main attractions for Nashik’s Kumbh enthusiasts
Part of the processions were more than 150 tractors that were decorated to carry the various leaders of these Akhadas. The processions went on for more than nine hours.
Entry to the Kushawart ghat was restricted to sadhus and their tolis. Pilgrims accompanying them were handpicked by the police and directed to other ghats.
The administration however had a close brush with a mishap when Bada Udaseen Akhada reached the Kushawart, but entered it from the 'exit' route. This led to a clash of two groups of pilgrims. The police were unable to clear the rush. "It was mere luck that we could come out. The police should have not allowed people to enter from the emergency exit gate at all," said Ramkumar Mishra, 53, who had tripped over.
READ ALSO: 128 special trains to cater to the rush of Kumbh Mela at Nasik
"We expected 10 to 12 lakh the pilgrims, but we received only 1.5 lakh pilgrims including 70,000 sadhus. We think people may turn out on forthcoming Monday, or the second Shahi snan," said tehsildar Naresh Bahiram.
READ ALSO: Tech companies crowd in at Kumbh to test real-time innovations
Politicians, however, used the poor turnout to blame the administration. NCP leader and former minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, "It is not kumbh parva, rather it kumbh curfew." He accused the police of scaring away pilgrims by overdoing security arrangements. "It looks like that the Rs 25,000 crore spent on kumbh has gone down the drain," said the NCP leader.
Guardian minister Girish Mahajan said the police have gone overboard in the name of security. "Apart from the excess security, even the festival of Rakshabandhan might have come in the way of the people to take part in the kumbh," he said, adding the second shahi snan is an important one and we are expecting more pilgrims on September 13, and would relax the security so as to ensure that the pilgrims reach ghats for shahi snan.
READ ALSO: Condom shortage — Jitters in Nashik ahead of Kumbh
However, police commissioner S Jaganathan said there won't be relaxation in the security. "We would further beef up the restrictions for September 13 Shahi Snan. There will be many pilgrims and we cannot take any risk," he said.