Page 5 - The Indian EYE 020725

COVER STORY FEBRUARY 07, 2025 | The Indian Eye 5

many people have gathered to be one
community to receive blessings from
these holy rivers. For the number of
people and the infrastructure here,
it is unbelievable that they can pull
off something of this size. Everyone
seems to be very helpful to each oth-
er”.
Dharma Saraswati Das from the
UK said, “I’m so blessed, happy and
thankful to be here. So blessed to be
able to do this- bhajans with the Naga
Sadhus, chanting Harahar Mahadev
and I felt very happy and ananda and
doing the Ganga Snan”.
Maria from Florida in the US
shared that she came to the last Kum-
bh Mela twelve years ago and visits
India every year. Speaking about
the Maha Kumbh Mela, she said, “I
came to the last one 12 years ago, and
after that experience I knew there
was no way I would miss this one. It
was one of the highlights of my life to
attend. It’s quite a special event. The
devotion and the beautiful people.
It’s just really beautiful and colorful
and kind”.
Speaking about the arrange-
ments, she said, “I didn’t have any Juna Akhara Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand Giri Maharaj arrives to take a dip at Triveni Sangam during the second ‘Amrit
trouble. They were very kind” and Snan’ on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya at Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj on Wednesday (ANI Photo/Shrikant Singh)
did a “good job” in controlling a
crowd this size. “Yesterday’s Amrit Snan was a ny praised the celebration and added On the same day, veteran ac-
Earlier, Spiritual head of the divine event. I was thinking about that the Maha Kumbh celebrations tor-turned-politician Hema Malini
Rishikesh-based Parmarth Niketan what good deeds I did in my past life are beautiful. “I love India, it’s so also took a dip at the Triveni Sangam
Ashram, Swami Chidanand Saraswa- that I got this opportunity to attend good”, she chimed. in Prayagraj on the occasion of Mau-
ti and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, this event. This is not only the San- The ongoing Maha Kumbh 2025 ni Amavasya. “It is my good fortune
along with devotees, which include gam of Ganga, Yamuna and Saras- which is considered to be the largest that I got the opportunity to take a
many westerners, performed ‘ha- wati, but it signifies the whole world gathering in the world witnessed the ‘snan’ on this auspicious day,” the
wan’ at the Paramarth Niketan Kum- as one family when people of many attendance of numerous celebrities BJP MP said.
bh Mela Camp in Prayagraj. Sadhvi countries and races take the holy dip who reached Prayagraj to take a holy Apart from Hema Malini, sever-
Bhagawati Saraswati shared her ex- together...” dip in Triveni Sangam. Actor and al other celebrities, including Sunil
perience of first ‘Amrit Snan’ at the Several visitors from across the model Milind Soman took a dip in Grover, Kabir Khan, Guru Randha-
Triveni Sangam and said it must have world on Thursday expressed their Triveni Sangam at the ongoing Maha wa, Avinash Tiwary, Mamta Kulkar-
been her good deeds of past life that gratitude for the once-in-a-lifetime Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on the oc- ni, and Anupam Kher, have also
she got this opportunity and called opportunity to be part of the grand casion of Mauni Amavasya, along participated in the grand religious
the Snan a “divine event”. celebrations. A tourist from Germa- with his wife Ankita Konwar. gathering.

Judicial Commission takes charge of stampede investigation

OUR BUREAU bers arrived at their office in Janpath, Lucknow, “Thirty-six injured people are admitted here...
on Thursday, and immediately took charge of the all are being treated very well and arrangements
Lucknow
investigation. have been made for the attendants who are with
n a tragic incident during the Mauni Amavasya Commission Chairman Justice (Retd.) Harsh them...these people belong to different places
bathing ritual on Wednesday, 30 people were Kumar said, “Since the investigation is a priori- like Deoria, Delhi and Bihar, their families have
Ikilled and more than 60 others were injured. ty, we have taken charge within hours of the an- been informed...no one is in serious condition
In response, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath con- nouncement.” but some of them have sustained fractures, it will
stituted a three-member judicial commission to He added, “Although we have a month to take up to 3 weeks for them to recover, there are
investigate the causes of the tragedy. The panel complete the probe, we will make every effort to 2-3 such cases”.
is headed by retired Justice Harsh Kumar of the conclude it as quickly as possible.” Justice Kumar According to the notification issued in this
Allahabad High Court and includes retired IAS also confirmed that the commission would soon regard, the commission has been tasked with ex-
officer D.K. Singh and retired IPS officer V.K. visit Prayagraj to assess the situation firsthand. amining the causes and circumstances that led to
Gupta as its members. Meanwhile in Prayagaraj, UP DGP Prashant the stampede and will also provide recommenda-
Now, the three-member judicial commission, Kumar, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and tions to prevent such incidents in future.
constituted to investigate the tragic stampede has other officials conducted an on-site inspection. The investigation report must be submitted
officially begun its work. The commission mem- UP Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh said, within one month of the commission’s formation.

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