Haridwar Kumbh Mela 2021: 'World's largest diya' inaugurated on Aastha Path, see pics

Kumbh Mela Officer Deepak Rawat, on April 13, inaugurated the world’s largest diya or earthen lamp at Astha Path, the Government of Uttarakhand said. While the country is currently battling a second wave of COVID-19 infection, over 31 lakh people, on April 12 flocked to the holy city to take a dip on the Ganges. Hundreds of thousands of people tossed away public safety measures, despite experts warning that such gathering could push India’s caseload to astronomical heights.

Capacity of 2,247 litres

According to a report by ANI, the gigantic oil lamp was installed by MI and has a capacity of 2,247 litres. Pictures of the diya have also made its way to Twitter after being shared by the official handle of Haridwar Mahkumbh. Apart from being acknowledged by the state’s government, the earthen lamp has also been enlisted in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Meanwhile, facing backlash for the plethora of COVID-19 violations, Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat on April 13 , requested all devotees to wear masks and adhere to all social distancing guidelines ahead of the 'Third Snan'. Visuals from Haridwar's Har Ki Pauri ghat for Shahi Snan or royal bath on April 12 showed thousands flock the ghat mask-less, with all social distancing going for a toss. Moreover, twenty-six people tested positive in the 9,678 random COVID tests conducted in the mela area while 408 fresh cases were reported on Monday across Haridwar.

Special camera installed 

For the first time ever, over 350 CCTV cameras have been installed at different locations in the Kumbh, with about 100 of these equipped with sensors that generate an alert when a person is captured without a mask. Further, it was said that the AI-equipped cameras can generate an alert when the crowd density increases in the sites that are prone to stampede. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the duration of Kumbh Mela has been curtailed to 30 days for the first time in the history of the grand religious congregation. This year the Kumbh is being organised from April 1 to 30. Generally, the celebration goes on for nearly four months once in 12 years. 

Image Credits: Mahakumbh/Twitter