Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 1 : A 118-member delegation which includes Heads of Mission (HoM) and their spouses as well as diplomats from a total of 77 countries, arrived at Maha Kumbh Mela Kshetra on Saturday.
Speaking toearlier today, Slovak Ambassador to India, Robert Maxian, congratulated the Indian government for organizing the event. "I am very excited. I want to congratulate your government for organising this great spiritual event... I am a fan of India. India is like my second home," he said.
Mariano Caucino, Ambassador of Argentina to India, also expressed his happiness at being able participate in the ceremony.
"I am very happy to take part in this important ceremony and follow the traditions," he said..
Upon the the arrival of the foreign diplomats, the BJP leader Sidharth Nath Singh said, "Ambassadors, High Commissioners have come to participate in the Maha Kumbh. We have to welcome them. Everyone is excited."
Stella Nkomo, Zimbabwe ambassador to India descirbed this as a "once-in-a-lifetime experience," adding that "Diplomatic life is also about pursuing cultural and public diplomacy. This is a cultural diplomacy where we seek to understand India deeply... We are grateful to the Uttar Pradesh state for hosting us."
Christian Villarreal, Bolivia Head of Mission in India, said, "... The Minister of External Affairs has the capacity to invite us once a year to the main celebrations of India. I had the privilege to be invited to Diwali 1.5 years ago, but nothing compares to this occasion. Not even my sons will be able to visit such an event which happens once in 144 years..."
Over 5.42 million devotees took dip on Saturday in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati in the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.
Among these, over 1 million Kalpavasis and 4.42 million pilgrims have taken a dip in the Triveni waters today.
As of January 31, over 314.6 million have already taken a dip in the sacred confluence of three rivers since the commencement of the event.
The MahaKumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred pitcher) is anchored in Hindu mythology. It is the world's largest public gathering and collective act of faith. This congregation, primarily, includes Ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis and Pilgrims from all walks of life, as per the Maha Kumbh website.
The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 that began at Prayagraj on January 13 is set to continue till February 26. The Maha Kumbh is held after every 144 years.
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