Covid Effect: Kumbh Mela Called Off After PM Modi's Request; Top Seer Immerses Deities

Avdheshanand Giri, Acharya Mahamandleshwar on Saturday said that given the rising number of coronavirus cases, the Kumbh Mela has been concluded for Juna Akhara.

Kumbh Mela (Representative image)

Acting upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal, Juna Akhada Chief Swami Avdheshanand has announced to call off the Kumbh Mela.

Avdheshanand Giri, Acharya Mahamandleshwar, Juna Akhara on Saturday said that people of India and their survival is our first priority. Given the rising number of coronavirus cases, the Kumbh Mela has been concluded for Juna Akhara.

Taking to his official twitter account, Swami Avdheshanand wrote, "The people of India and their survival is our first priority. In the view of significantly rising cases of Coronavirus, we have duly immersed all the deities of Kumbh. This is the formal immersion of Kumbh from Juna Akhada."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="hi" dir="ltr">भारत की जनता व उसकी जीवन रक्षा हमारी पहली प्राथमिकता है। <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>#कोरोना</a> महामारी के बढ़ते प्रकोप को देखते हुए हमने विधिवत कुम्भ के आवाहित समस्त देवताओं का विसर्जन कर दिया है। <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%BE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>#जूनाअखाड़ा</a> की ओर से यह कुम्भ का विधिवत विसर्जन-समापन है।<a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>@AmitShah</a><a href="https://twitter.com/ANI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>@ANI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/z_achryan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>@z_achryan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TIRATHSRAWAT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>@TIRATHSRAWAT</a> <a href="https://t.co/rOUaqL1egU" rel='nofollow'>pic.twitter.com/rOUaqL1egU</a></p>&mdash; Swami Avdheshanand (@AvdheshanandG) <a href="https://twitter.com/AvdheshanandG/status/1383397955021930502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel='nofollow'>April 17, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This development has come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a telephonic conversation requested Swami Avdheshanand Giri to now have the ongoing Kumbh Mela in a symbolic manner as "this will give strength to the fight against this crisis."

The Kumbh Mela congregation has caused a lot of worry amid the escalating Coronavirus crisis in the country. Lakhs of devotees visited Kumbh during the Shahi Snaan, a majority of them were seen taking the holy dips without following Covid-19 norms such as maintaining social distancing or even wearing a mask.

Earlier, the Niranjan Akhada announced curtailing the ongoing Kumbh Mela on April 17 which is almost two weeks ahead of schedule.

The BJP government in Uttarakhand previously had announced that Kumbh Mela will go on as per schedule and end on April 30.