New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a ceremonial immersion at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj on Wednesday morning, coinciding with the ongoing Maha Kumbh festival. Dressed in a vibrant saffron jacket and blue track pants, and holding rudraksha beads, Mr. Modi recited prayers while immersing himself multiple times in the sacred waters.
Earlier in the day, he embarked on a boat tour of the confluence alongside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This year’s Kumbh has attracted a vast assembly of Hindu devotees from across the globe, but it also garnered attention due to a tragic stampede that occurred a week prior, resulting in the loss of 30 lives.
Footage captured the riverbank teeming with thousands of individuals eager to glimpse the Prime Minister. Mr. Modi’s visit to the Maha Kumbh coincides with a significant Assembly election in the national capital, where the BJP is striving to prevent the ruling AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, from securing a third consecutive term, while also addressing the challenge posed by the Congress party.
Before his ceremonial immersion, the Prime Minister took to X to encourage voters in Delhi to engage in the electoral process. “I urge the voters here to participate in this festival of democracy with full enthusiasm and cast their valuable vote,” he stated in Hindi.
He is the second prominent BJP leader to partake in a ceremonial immersion during this Kumbh; just days before the stampede, Home Minister Amit Shah and his family also engaged in similar rites.
This visit follows the Prime Minister’s recent inauguration of 167 development projects in Prayagraj, amounting to Rs 5,500 crore. The Maha Kumbh has similarly received significant investment in infrastructure, sanitation, security, and digital services in preparation for the religious gathering.
Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk made a visit to Prayagraj for the Kumbh festival. Together with the Chief Minister, he engaged in various spiritual activities, toured the Lete Hanuman Mandir, and examined the Digital Mahakumbh Experience Centre.
