Half of world’s Sanatan Dharma followers taken holy dip: UP CM

Agra/Mahakumbh Nagar Feb 23: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said 62 crore devotees have come to Maha Kumbh so far and out of about 120 crore Sanatan Dharma followers in the world, half of them have already taken the holy dip.
Addressing the seers in the presence of Kamkoti Peethadheeswar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shankar Vijayendra Saraswati Maharaj at the Maha Kumbh Mela Mahotsav held at Mahakumbh Nagar, the chief minister said, “Which is that religion and sect in the world where such a large number of devotees are coming and expressing their faith within a specific time frame?” He said, “This (Kumbh) has become a medium for the followers of Sanatan Dharma to express their gratitude towards their seers, the ‘Rishi’ tradition of India, their ‘Dev’ tradition and their festivals and celebrations.” Adityanath said Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth has always been at the forefront of promoting Sanatan Dharma. “The wide influence of this Peeth across the country strengthens Sanatan Dharma. Whenever Sanatan Dharma has faced any crisis, this Peeth has given its full contribution to protecting the Sanatan Dharma by standing firmly in front of the crisis,” he added.
Speaking at an event in Agra, Adityanath said the gathering of such a large number of people during a certain period is in itself “one of the rarest events of the century”.
Welcoming all the guests at the Unicorn Companies Conclave in Agra, Chief Minister Yogi said, “I can call it the Unicorn Maha Kumbh of the startup world. There is an attraction towards the Maha Kumbh at this time.” According to a statement, he said, “This is important for me. Today, I have come to Braj Bhoomi, behind which there has been a spiritual and cultural background.” Braj Bhoomi has influenced India’s civilisation and culture for a long time, he added.
Talking about the devotees coming to the Maha Kumbh, Adityanath said, “I think that in any event in the world, whether it is spiritual or for any tourism purpose, the gathering of such a large number of people during a certain period in that ceremony and being united with that event is in itself one of the rarest events of the century.” Adityanath, also the ‘Mahant’ of the Gorakshapeeth, remarked that it must have been envisioned that a time would come when people in India might feel disconnected from their traditions and culture. He emphasised that the Kumbh would serve as a powerful medium to re-establish that vital connection, bringing the people back to their spiritual roots and cultural heritage. (PTI)