Devotees take holy dip at the Sangam

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims took the first "Amrit Snan"-formerly known as Shahi Snan (royal bath)- in freezing waters at the confluence or Sangam of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, which is dedicated to the Sun God and marks the beginning of the harvest season, at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Tuesday.

- Rajesh Kumar Singh and Kenneth John

The "royal bath" is believed to absolve the faithful of sin and provide salvation from the life and death cycle.

Panchayati Atal Akhara were the first ones to take "Amrit Snan" amid chants of "Har Har Mahadev", "Jai Shri Ram" and "Jai Ganga Maiyya" in praise of Lord Shiva, Lord Ram and the Ganga, India's holiest river.