More than seven crore (70 million) pilgrims have taken a dip at the Sangam -- the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers -- from January 11 to January 16 on the occasion of the Maha Kumbh Mela, according to an official statement.

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According to it, more than 30 lakh (3 million) devotees bathed in the sacred waters on Thursday alone, seeking virtue and divine blessings. The state government had anticipated that over 45 crore (450 million) people would attend the Maha Kumbh this time.

The early figure of 7 crore (70 million) pilgrims in the initial days of the religious congregation strongly indicates this projection to be true, the statement said.

Devotees from various states and around the world have been immersing themselves in the spiritual atmosphere of the holy confluence.

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The statement said that before the start of the Maha Kumbh, approximately 45 lakh (4.5 million) people bathed in the sangam on January 11 while January 12 saw a record 65 lakh (6.5 million) devotees.

On the first day of the Maha Kumbh, a record 1.70 crore (17 million) pilgrims took the holy dip and on January 14, around 3.50 crore (35 million) people bathed in the Sangam. In the first two days of Mahakumbh alone, more than 5.20 crore (52 million) devotees took the holy dip, it said.

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