Devotees take 'Shahi snan' at Kumbh Mela

NASHIK, SEPTEMBER 18 : Amid heavy downpour, thousands of saints and devotees today took 'shahi snan' (royal bath) in the Ramkund today on the last auspicious day of the ongoing Kumbh Mela. Saints belonging to the three akhadas, Nirmohi, Nirwani and Digambar arrived in a grand procession from Laxminarayan Temple in Tapovan area to the Ramkund pond on banks of river Godavari. They were seated in colourfully decorated vehicles and were sporting marigold garlands. Smeared with vermilion and 'chandan', they embarked for the royal bath amid heavy rains since the wee hours. After completion of 'shahi snan' of mahants, thousands of devotees who have come to take holy dip on the last 'parvani' which marks 'Rishi panchami' today, took bath at various ghats including, Kapila, Gauri Patangan, Yashwantrao Maharaj, Talkeshwar, and Laxminarayan. Today was the last 'shahi snan' in Nashik. Elaborate security arrangements were put in place with additional forces deployed at various ghats.