Symbolic snan by Akharas was at Yogi’s behest

Prayagraj: Stampede near Sangam Nose of the Maha Kumbh Mela on the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday, could have been worse if akharas had not decided to halt their procession midway and return to their Chhaavani (camp) when they heard about the incident. They promptly postponed their procession for Mauni Amavasya Amrit Snan was postponed and resumed past noon.
After the Mahanirvani Akhara returned midway over security concerns, it was Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who pacified the seers, advising them not to cancel their Amrit Snan altogether. Following which, the akharas decided to hold the Amrit Snan, but in a symbolic manner.
"Our procession, comprising our deity, Lord Kapilmuni, our Acharya Mahamadaleshwar Vishwakanand Bharathi, thousands of Naga Sadhus, mahamandeleshwars and mandeleshwars had almost crossed pontoon bridge number 7 and were moving towards Sangam Nose when suddenly news came that all was ‘not okay' at Sangam," recounts the general secretary of Mahanirvani Akhara (the first to take Amrit Snan), Mahant Jamuna Puri, adding, "Since I had to make a decision, I instructed everyone to return to the camp using pontoon bridge number 6 and within half an hour, our procession, along with that of Atal Akhara (which follows Mahanirvani), was back at the Chhavani, and other akharas followed suit."
"It was our CM who called us and said if we didn't take the snan, it would send out a wrong signal, thus, we all agreed for a symbolic snan," said Puri.
"At around 2 pm, we came out for the Amrit Snan, but it was just symbolic with 250 odd Naga Sadhus, including many who were recently inducted and some seniors and a handful of mahamandeleshwars, who carried our deity, while the two spears, Surya Prakash and Bhairav Prakash, took the holy dip," said Puri.
This was not only the case with Mahanirvani Akhara, but all akharas that came for Amrit Snan. It was a low-profile show, without pomp and show, nagada and drums, flags and banners, or golden thrones of Mahamandleshwar as most of them just walked to the ghat to complete the ceremony.
Although number of Naga Sadhus was limited, around half of the newly inducted ones were brought for the Amrit Snan and completed their induction. "Indiction of those who took the dip is deemed complete, whereas those who were left behind will be doing so in next Amrit Snan on Feb 3 on the occasion of Basant Panchami," said Puri.
In some akharas, including Juna, a few hundred newly inducted Naga Sadhus took the dip in the temporary ghat constructed near their akhara. "It was a noble gesture of the newly inducted Naga Sadhus to forego the opportunity to take a dip in Sangam on Mouni Amavasya because they had been waiting for this day for past 12 years. At the last Mahakumbh (2013), they were initiated as Sanyasis, and it was after a wait of 12 years that they were inducted as Naga Sadhus," said Mahamandeleshwar Shailashanand Giri of Juna Akhara.
Naga Sadhus, whose process of induction started on Makar Sankranti, were not adamant about bathing in Sangam only. Senior seers and their gurus said they bathed in temporary ghats in Ganga and thereby completed the ritual.