Prayagraj, January 15: Braving chilly winds and freezing temperatures, millions of devotees took a holy dip in rivers in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Monday, marking the beginning of the Magh Mela. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) (Magh Mela) Rajeev Narain Mishra said, “The entire Mela campus has turned into a fortress after deploying around 5,000 personnel, including companies of paramilitary forces and devotees began taking a holy dip since midnight. UP: CM Yogi Offers Prayers at Gorakhnath Temple on Makar Sankranti

"The Mela police have made adequate security arrangements for January 15 snan and around 70 lakh devotees are likely to take holy dip on the occasion.” Makar Sankranti is the first major bathing day of the 53-day long Magh Mela. For the first major 'snan', a total of 24 ghats, including 22 bathing and two boat ghats, have been prepared on the banks of Ganga. Makar Sankranti 2024 Wishes: Festive Greetings, Images And Quotes To Share With Family And Friends

Magh Mela Begins With a Holy Dip 

Laying of straw, along with levelling of uneven ground, was also carried out at a war footing on the entire ghats and the approach areas to prevent devotees from slipping.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 15, 2024 10:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).