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15/01/25 09:24 AM IST

Mahakumbh First Amrit Snan

In News
  •  January 14 was the first amrit snan or shahi snan at the Mahakumbh underway in Prayagraj.
Amrit Snan
  • The Kumbh Mela is held after every 12 years at Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik-Trimbakeshwar, and Ujjain, at the banks of the sangam, the Ganga, the Godavari, and the Kshipra rivers respectively.
  • It is believed that bathing in these rivers during the Kumbh washes away one’s sins.
  • However, some dates during the Kumbh period are specially auspicious, depending on the alignment of planets, the Sun, and the Moon.
  • The Kumbh Mela is attended by hundreds of sadhus, as part of their akhadaas or groups. Since this is a religious occasion, the sadhus are the “royalty” here, and thus they take the first dip.
  • This ritual dip has traditionally been called the shahi snan or the royal bath.
  • However, from this year, the bath is being called amrit snan.
  • This is being seen as more in keeping with Hindu religious beliefs, as it is believed that Kumbh is celebrated at the four places where amrit, or the nectar of immortality, spilled after Samdura Manthan, or the churning of the ocean.
Makar Sakranti
  • January 14 is Makar Sankranti, the day that the Sun moves into the Makar raashi or the zodiac Capricorn.
  • Whenever the Sun moves from one raashi to another, it is called a Sankranti, but Makar Sankranti is special.
  • This is because this marks the movement of the Sun from the south to the north, heralding that the worst of winter is over and warmer, sunnier days lie ahead.
  • With Makar Sankranti, the Sun is moving to uttar (north), and thus the Uttarayan period has begun. According to Hindu mythology, this period is the gods’ daytime.
  • Thus, it is a reason to celebrate. After six months, the Sun will be in the Dakshinayan (southward) phase, which will be the gods’ night.
  • Also, the Sun has now moved out of the Dhanu raashi (Sagittarius), marking the end of the kharmas, or the 30-day period in which auspicious activities are not undertaken.
  • Makar Sankranti is also a harvest festival, similar to many celebrated in other parts of the country around this time.
  • Taking a bath in a river on Makar Sankranti is believed to accrue spiritual merit, and if it coincides with the Kumbh, the benefits multiply manifold, it is believed.
Source- Indian Express

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