Imprints of faith and devotion remain as Maha Kumbh ends

The Maha Kumbh, billed to be the world's largest gathering, ended on Wednesday with lakhs of devotees surging towards the waters of the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, for a dip on the auspicious day of Shivratri.

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The mega religious carnival wound to a close in a montage of images of the stampede that killed at least 30 people, the devout across every spectrum taking a dip in the belief it would cleanse their sins, huge crowds jostling not just at the Sangam but also stations and bus stands in north India and many a political slugfest over contested numbers and how clean the waters were.

According to the Uttar Pradesh government, 1.44 crore people took a holy dip till 6 pm on Wednesday. It said 66.21 crore people have visited Prayagraj since January 13, a number that exceeds the populations of all countries except China and India. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top ministers and film stars were among those who went to the Kumbh.