Basant Panchami Saturday

In Uttar Pradesh, Basant Panchami and Saraswati Puja will be celebrated on Saturday. Lakhs of devotees will take holy dip at Sangam the confluence of river Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati on this occasion at Allahabad in going on Magh Mela.
AIR Allahabad correspondent Sunil Shukla reports that Basant Panchami is a fourth important bathing festival of Magh Mela and large numbers of devotees have already started reaching to the Sangam for taking holy dip in the sacred water of rivers. It is general believe in Hindu mythology that taking holy dip at Sangam on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami a devotee may wash out his ignorance.
Mela administration has estimated that nearly forty lakhs pilgrims will take holy dip on this occasion. Massive security arrangements have been made and large numbers of security personnel including Para military forces are deployed in and around Mela area. Senior civil and police officers have reached at Mela to stay and monitor the arrangements. Entry of vehicles into the Meal area has been banned and it will continue till tomorrow evening. Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation and Railways have run several special buses and trains for the pilgrims.