Haridwar:
Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed that Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar “should only be symbolic” amid an unprecedented increase in daily coronavirus cases across the country, Swami Avdheshanand Giri of Juna Akhara – one of the top seers in the country – has announced an early end to the month-long mega festival.
“Our first priority is the protection of the people of India (against Covid). In view of the coronavirus pandemic, we have performed the visarjan of all Gods. This is the end of Kumbh from June Akhara,” he tweeted in Hindi.
भारत की जनता व उसकी जीवन रक्षा हमारी पहली प्राथमिकता है। #कोरोना महामारी के बढ़ते प्रकोप को देखते हुए हमने विधिवत कुम्भ के आवाहित समस्त देवताओं का विसर्जन कर दिया है। #जूनाअखाड़ा की ओर से यह कुम्भ का विधिवत विसर्जन-समापन है।@narendramodi@AmitShah@ANI@z_achryan@TIRATHSRAWATpic.twitter.com/rOUaqL1egU
— Swami Avdheshanand (@AvdheshanandG) April 17, 2021
The seer, in a video message, appealed to other seers to heed to the Prime Minister’s appeal and only take symbolic part in the remaining two shahi snan or royal baths.
Thousands of people attended Kumbh Mela that began on April 1 at a time the country has been logging over a lakh coronavirus cases consistently, triggering concerns that the religious congregation could make the Covid situation worse.