Mahakumbh Nagar, Feb 26 (PTI) An unceasing stream of devotees from across India and abroad continued to throng Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on Mahashivratri for a sacred dip to attain 'moksha' and for spiritual purification, marking the final hours of the 45-day Maha Kumbh.

The air resonated with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' as helicopters added to the grand spectacle of faith by showering flower petals over the pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh where the footfall over the past six weeks has far exceeded those at Mecca and Vatican City, according to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Addressing the Legislative Council during the state's Budget Session on Tuesday, Chief Minister Adityanath noted that while 1.4 crore pilgrims visit Mecca annually for Haj and 80 lakh visit Vatican City in a year, Ayodhya alone welcomed 16 crore devotees "in just 52 days".

The latest count of devotees at 4 pm on Wednesday was recorded at over 1.32 crore, while the overall figures have already surged past 65 crore, according to the Uttar Pradesh government, which is hosting the Maha Kumbh on the banks of the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.

The Maha Kumbh, which takes place once in 12 years, began on January 13 (Paush Purnima) and saw grand processions of 'akharas' (monastic orders) including ash-smeared Naga Sadhus during the three 'Amrit Snans'.

Mahashivratri on Wednesday marks the last of the special bathing dates and the culmination of the Mela. By 2 am on Wednesday, over 11.66 lakh devotees had immersed themselves in the sacred waters. The numbers surged to 25.64 lakh in the next two hours and 41.11 lakh by 6 am while it swelled to 81.09 lakh by 10 am.

Adityanath began monitoring the arrangements at the Kumbh Mela at 4 am from Gorakhpur with senior government officials.

In a post on X, the chief minister said, "Hearty congratulations to all the revered saints, Kalpvasis and devotees who have come to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam today on the holy bathing festival of Mahashivratri dedicated to the worship of Lord Bholenath in Maha Kumbh-2025, Prayagraj.....Har Har Mahadev!" The state government arranged for showering of petals over devotees from a helicopter at the Kumbh. Twenty quintals of flower petals were showered on the devotees in five rounds.

Being the last special bathing day, devotees had begun to gather on the banks of the Sangam from close to midnight. While some camped and waited patiently to take the dip at the 'Brahma Muhurt', scores of them performed the bathing rituals well before the appointed time.

Billed as the world's largest spiritual gathering on Earth, the mega religious festival on its last day attracted pilgrims from all four corners of the country.

Albina from Russia told PTI Videos this was her first day at Maha Kumbh. "It's like seeing all of India. It's interesting, I feel good here," she said.

Constantine, who accompanied Albina, said in broken English: "Fantastic, mystic, very nice, wow!" Rajvir Singh Jhala (20), a BBA student from Rajkot took the holy dip right at the Sangam nose as did his mother and other family members who arrived in Prayagraj from Gujarat in a bus on Wednesday night.

"Lord Shiva for me means 'Shunyata', one must feel that he or she is nothing in front of him. Besides, one must have goodness inside. If one has dirt inside, washing oneself in holy Sangam will not cleanse any sin," Jhala told PTI right after his 'snan'.

UP cabinet minister Nand Gopal Gupta told PTI Videos that around 24 crore pilgrims had come for the (Ardh) Kumbh in 2019 and this time the figure has gone past 65 crore. "Certanly, Sanatan followers in the whole world are happy. Here at the Kumbh, there is no discrimination of caste and class, and everyone is taking a dip at the same Sangam." Pilgrims also came from West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, covering the length and breadth of the country.

A group of devotees came from Nepal to witness the Maha Kumbh on its closing day and take the holy dip on Maharashivratri.

Pinki Devi from Kolkata who performed the bathing rituals around 3.30 am was ecstatic that she could take the dip on the auspicious day.

Chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Jai Mahakal' rang throughout the Mela ground.

Mahashivratri commemorates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds special significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a crucial role in the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), which led to the emergence of the Amrit Kumbh (nectar pitcher), the very essence of the Kumbh Mela.

The Uttar Pradesh government said the total number of visitors to the fair exceeds the population of all countries in the world except India and China, both of which have populations exceeding a billion.

The Maha Kumbh has witnessed six special bathing dates -- Paush Purnima on January 13, Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 29, Basant Panchami on February 3, Maghi Purnima on February 12 and Mahashivratri on February 26 -- including three 'Amrit Snans'.

Given the scale of the event and the sheer volume of attendees, authorities have enforced a "no vehicle zone" in the Mela area and Prayagraj besides implementing strict crowd control measures and logistical support to facilitate a seamless culmination of Maha Kumbh 2025.

A stampede on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya last month led to the deaths of at least 30 people and left 60 injured, according to the government.

Overseeing preparations on the ground, DIG (Kumbh) Vaibhav Krishna said expansive police deployment has been made in the Mela area.

"We are prepared particularly to handle a two-pronged situation, one is the rush of devotees at the ghats, including the Sangam, and the other is crowd management at five main 'Shivalayas' in the Mela area where devotees will offer sacred water to Lord Shiva," Krishna told PTI early on Wednesday. PTI KND/KIS CDN KSS KSS