Lucknow: Around 90 thousand inmates lodged in 75 prisons across Uttar Pradesh were given a chance to take the holy bath of Mahakumbh, with the officials bringing in some of the holy water of Triveni Sangam to the jails of various cities in Lucknow, Ayodhya and Aligarh.
According to officials, the Sangam Triveni water was mixed with regular water and stored in small tanks, allowing the inmates to take the sacred bath and offer prayers at the jail itself.
UP's minister of Prisons, Dara Singh Chauhan, while attending the event in Lucknow said that around 90 thousand inmates were given the chance to take the holy dip.
"UP is the first state where this department (prison department) has done this (bringing holy water to prisoners), the people outside can go there anytime, but those who are imprisoned despite their faith, have a compulsion that they cannot get out of the four walls... with the support of all the senior and junior officers of our jail, about ninety thousand prisoners of Uttar Pradesh," the minister told ANI on Friday.
He highlighted further that prisoners themselves requested for this event so that they can become 'full partners' of Sanatan by taking the dip.
"Prisoners themselves have wished this, they said that people outside are participating by going to the Sangam after taking a bath and studying, but we also believe that we also want to take our dip in the confluence of Sanatan and become full partners. So that was completed"
Visuals from Aligarh jail showed the prisoners carrying the 'matki' filled with the holy water to be mixed in.
Aligarh's jail Superintendent Brijendra Singh Yadav told ANI that the 'snan parv' was organised on the instructions of the state government and that inmates from various religions are also excitedly taking part in the event.
"As per the instructions of the state government and jail administration, a 'snan parv' was organised for the jail inmates since they cannot go to Maha Kumbh Mela. So it was decided to bring water from the Maha Kumbh to the prison so they could also take a holy dip... Even Muslim inmates are excitedly taking part in the 'snan parv'," the Superintendent told ANI.
In Ayodhya, the prison superintendent, Uday Pratap Mishra said that around 757 prisoners in that jail participated in the 'snan' organised.
"All the inmates of the jail took 'Snan' with the water brought from the Maha Kumbh. There are 757 inmates in the jail, and all of them took 'Snan' without any differences...they took 'Snan' with the intention of purifying their minds...jail department had taken this decision," Mishra told ANI.
Meanwhile in Prayagraj, thousands of devotees continue to arrive in the early hours to take a dip at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna, the Triveni Sangam.
Mahakumbh started on January 13, and will be concluded in a few days, on February 26. (ANI)