90,000 UP prisoners given holy dip opportunity as Triveni Sangam water brought to jails

In a unique initiative, the Uttar Pradesh government facilitated a Mahakumbh ritual for around 90,000 inmates across 75 prisons by bringing sacred water from Triveni Sangam to jails in various cities, including Lucknow, Ayodhya, and Aligarh. The water was mixed with regular water and stored in small tanks, allowing prisoners to take part in the holy dip within jail premises.

UP Minister of Prisons, Dara Singh Chauhan, while attending the event in Lucknow, stated that the initiative was taken to ensure prisoners, who cannot visit the Mahakumbh, could still participate. "UP is the first state where the prison department has done this. People outside can go anytime, but inmates remain confined despite their faith. With the support of jail authorities, about 90,000 prisoners were given this opportunity," he said.

Visuals from Aligarh jail showed inmates carrying ‘matkis’ filled with holy water for the ritual. Jail Superintendent Brijendra Singh Yadav confirmed that prisoners from different religious backgrounds participated. "As per the instructions of the state government and jail administration, a ‘snan parv’ was organized for inmates since they cannot visit the Maha Kumbh. Even Muslim inmates are excitedly taking part," he said.

In Ayodhya, Prison Superintendent Uday Pratap Mishra reported that all 757 inmates in his jail took part. "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," he stated.

Meanwhile, in Prayagraj, thousands of devotees continue to gather at the Triveni Sangam for the Mahakumbh, which began on January 13. The religious festival is set to conclude on February 26, with millions expected to take the holy dip before it ends.