75 UP jails to offer inmates holy bath with Maha Kumbh water

The Uttar Pradesh jail administration is making special arrangements to allow inmates to take part in the Maha Kumbh festival. Holy water from Prayagraj’s Sangam is being brought to 75 jails across the state so that prisoners can bathe in it. The event is scheduled for February 21, between 9:30 AM and 10:00 AM.

Over 90,000 prisoners, including those in seven central jails, will have the opportunity to participate. The initiative is being carried out under the supervision of Jail Minister Dara Singh Chauhan and the Director General of Prisons, PV Ramasastry.

Arrangements for the ritual

The ‘Gangajal’ will be mixed with regular water and stored in a small tank inside each jail. After prayers, the inmates will bathe in the water. The idea behind this arrangement is to let prisoners experience the religious event even though they are inside jails.

Senior jail officials, including Minister Chauhan, will attend the event at Lucknow Jail. In Gorakhpur District Jail, a prison guard, Arun Maurya, has been sent to Prayagraj to collect the sacred water. Similar arrangements will be made in Naini Central Jail, where around 1,350 prisoners are excited to take part.

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The initiative started earlier in Unnao Jail on February 17, where inmates already got a chance to bathe with holy water. Another session is planned for February 21. The Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj will conclude on February 26.