PRAYAG: As the city of Sangam gears up to host its biggest Mahasnan (holy dip) in the ongoing Prayag Mahakumbh, there are intelligence reports that terrorists belonging to Kashmiri terrorist group Harkat-ul-Ansar are planning to cause disruption and stampede.
In the wake of hanging of Afzal Guru, the inputs are being taken seriously even as 1.5 crore people are already estimated to have poured into Prayag from all corners of the country, and abroad. Rapid Action Force has been deployed and there are rumours that even the help of Army may be sought to bolster the mela security, particularly around the Sangam Ghat area.
Sources said a cell of terrorists in the city were planning to cause a stampede on Sunday morning on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. Mela authorities are expecting a crowd to swell over 2.5 crore on Sunday. Given the huge congregation, the 
authorities are obviously not taking the threats lightly.
Additional director general of police Surya Kumar Shukla, however, denied there was any extraordinary concern about the threat perception. Mela CEO Mani Shankar Mishra too expressed hope that the present security arrangements were more than adequate, without going into further details.
According to intelligence inputs, one or two bombers belonging to HuA terror cell have been trying to infiltrate the ranks of sadhus in the akhadas.Though local police is that has not happened, it has virtually no way of ascertaining despite the covert and overt presence of scores and layers of security men belonging to home guards, local police, RAF and para-military forces all over the city.
Gujarat chief minister and BJP’s possible prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who is high on terrorists’ radar is slated to visit Kumbh three days later on February 12 for Kumbh snan and to meet the shankaracharyas, main Akhada heads and other top religious leaders.
Meanwhile, already the major akhadas are gearing up for the shahi snan scheduled for Sunday. As per the schedule, naga sadhus belonging to the Mahanirvani akhada, followed by Atal, Niranjani and Juna will take the first holy dip around 5.35am.
Due to recent rains, the water level in the Ganga has risen and also dirtied a little more than usual. However, that does not seem to deter the worshippers.
The mela area, spread over 20 kilometre area in Allahabad and divided in 14 temporary sectors is a veritable who’s who of the Hindu spiritual and religious pantheon. Amidst a cacophony of loud speakers, blaring hooters and beckons atop the VIPs and babas’ SUVs, there are a number of pandals that vie for attention of the Kumbh visitors. Many of the mela areas resemble a religious plaza. – Times of India, February 2013
Kumbha Mela: Huge crowd arrives for holy dip on ‘Mauni Amavasya’
Lakhs of devotees reached the bathing ghats here for a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of ‘Mauni Amavasya’ today in the ongoing Maha Kumbh congregation at the holy Sangam.
The day also marks the second ‘Shahi Snan’ of sadhus belonging to various ‘Akharas’.
According to a rough estimate by officials, the number of people to have taken a dip by the crack of dawn appears to be “not less than 20 lakhs” and the final turnout may exceed the projected estimate of three crore.
Devotees started arriving at the bathing ‘ghats’ along the banks of the Ganga since last night itself as the special celestial configuration which makes Mauni Amavasya auspicious has been in place since yesterday afternoon.
The 12-yearly Maha Kumbh congregations are known to reach their climax, in terms of turnouts, on Mauni Amavasya and the administration has made arrangements expecting nearly three crore visitors this year.
Tight security arrangements are in place with more than 15,000 security personnel drawn from central paramilitary forces like ITBP, CRPF, BSF and RAF besides the Uttar Police and its Provincial Armed Constabulary and Anti Terrorist Squad keeping a close vigil.
The star attraction of the day remains ‘Shahi Snan’ of the ‘Akharas’ – orders of martial ascetics established by Adi Sankara – which proceeded, in turns, towards the holy river’s confluence with Yamuna and Saraswati in majestic processions.
The Maha Kumbh witnesses altogether three ‘Shahi Snans’, the first of which took place on Makar Sankranti (January 14) and the third and last is scheduled on Basant Panchmi (February 15).
There are altogether 13 ‘Akharas’ belonging to various sects and each of them have been allotted specific time, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour, depending upon the size of their procession.
While the elderly went through the rituals observing a vow of silence (the word Mauni is derived from maun which means silence), others watched the sight of swords and spears wielding ‘Naga’ ascetics moving about with ash smeared on their bodies.
While the ‘Naga sadhus’ are reaching the venue from their respective camps on foot, their leaders known by honorifics like ‘Shri Mahant’ and ‘Mahamandaleshwar’ cover the distance perched atop richly-decorated chariots with musical bands playing devotional tunes.
Make-shift roads have been laid down with the help of metallic chequered plates with barricading on both sides to ensure that the ‘Shahi Snan’ processions go on without any inconvenience. – Indian Express, 10 February 2013
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