Haridwar: Following the uncharacteristic rise in the corona virus cases in Haridwar, both Niranjani Akhara and Anand Akhara announced the call off the Kumbh Mela on 17 April. Akhara Secretary Mahant Ravindra Puri has announced the call off the Kumbh Mela. He said that the main Shahi Snaan has been completed, after that a large number of saints and devotees are showing signs of corona in the Akharas. In view of the increasing cases of Corona, our Akhara has decided to end the Kumbh on 17 April.
He said that this is not the decision of the Akhara Parishad, it is a personal decision of our Akhara. Ravindra Puri Maharaj, Secretary of Niranjani Akhara, announced the end of Kumbh on behalf of the Akhara. The same Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Niranjani Akhara, in the case of both Niranjani Akhara and Anand Akhara of Kailash Nandagiri said that due to Corona, the Akhara will announce the end of Kumbh on the 17th.
There are over 13 akharas and lakhs of seers associated with them. Several seers have tested positive amid the ongoing Kumbh Mela. The head of the Akhara Parishad, Mahant Narendra Giri, has tested positive and has been admitted to AIIMS, Rishikesh. Several other seers have complained of covid-like symptoms such as cold and running nose. The Haridwar administration on Thursday conducted a camp at Juna Akhara and collected around 200 swab samples.
The head of the Maha Nirvani Akhara from Madhya Pradesh Swami Kapil Dev who was under treatment for Covid died due to virus-related complications on Tuesday night. The 65-year-old was rushed to the Dehradun hospital from Haridwar on April 13 after his condition deteriorated.
The Kumbh Mela began on April 1 and will conclude this month-end. Despite Niranjani Akhara’s announcement, the Uttarakhand cabinet minister Bansidhar Bhagat said the Kumbh would continue.
Uttarakhand recorded over 2,220 new coronavirus cases, the biggest single-day spike so far, with Dehradun and Haridwar districts emerging as major hotspots. Out of the new cases, Dehradun reported 914 new cases alone. With 613 new cases in Haridwar, the city’s Covid tally surged to 2,780 between April 10 and April 15.
