Kumbh being held in 'Prayagraj' after 350 years: UP minister

As the first Shahi Snan (auspicious bath) of the 2019 Kumbh Mela got underway Tuesday, a UP Cabinet minister said the religious congregation is being held in Prayagraj after 350 years as the holy city was renamed Allahabad in the past.

Religious Affairs Minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary also claimed that it's perhaps for the first time since Independence that proper arrangements (of milk, ghee, food, blankets and firewood) have been made for the seers, ashrams and akharas.

"Nearly 350 years ago, the name of Prayagraj -- considered a prominent centre of Hindu culture and Sanatan Dharma -- was changed to Allahabad. However, last year, under the leadership of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, it was decided that Allahabad should be renamed as Prayagraj, as mentioned in ancient Indian texts including the Vedas.

"And it is after 350 long years that the world's biggest spiritual congregation is being held in Prayagraj in the form of Kumbh Mela," he told PTI in an interview.

On October 16, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet had approved a proposal to rename the historic city of Allahabad as Prayagraj.

UP Cabinet minister Siddhartha Nath Singh had then said it will help highlight Indian culture at international level.

Elaborating on the Kumbh Mela, Chaudhary said, "Kumbh symbolises peace and harmony amongst all human beings. Thanks to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Kumbh Mela has been inscribed on the list of 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity' by UNESCO in 2017."
The UP minister said, "It is an avismarniye (unforgettable) Kumbh. It is for the first time that representatives of 172 countries will participate in the Kumbh Mela. This time, the Kumbh Mela is spread over an area of 3,200 hectares as compared to 1,600 hectare area in the previous melas."