Thousands of devotees from various parts of the country braved the cold and fog on Thursday morning and took a holy dip in the Sangam -- the trinity of holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati, on the occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya'.

People started arriving at the Magh Mela township from Wednesday evening and the entire place bustled with frantic activity as men, women, old and young, seers, religious leaders and spiritual gurus made their way for a holy dip.

Heavy security arrangements have been made to ensure that there is no untoward incident.

Covid protocols were also implemented though the devotees, at times, broke the social distancing norms to wade into the river.

Senior police officials told IANS that adequate security arrangements have been made in and around the township, not only to ensure that no subversive element slipped into the crowd but also to guide the thronging millions and ensure their safety as they go to the river to take a dip.

The state government had made arrangements for a helicopter to shower flower petals on the saints and devotees.

Similar crowds were seen in Varanasi and other districts where the Ganga flows.