The Panchkosi Parikrama, an enduring symbol of Prayag’s timeless traditions, faith, and cultural consciousness, has commenced at the Magh Mela. The five-day pilgrimage began on Monday with Ganga Puja at the Sangam, led by the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad and Shri Panch Dashnam Juna Akhara. The yatra will conclude with a Bhandara for saints and ascetics on the final day.
The Magh Mela administration has been entrusted with managing traffic arrangements during the pilgrimage. Following the Ganga Puja, the procession of saints visited the sacred Akshayavat and the Adi Shankar Vimana Mandapam temple, marking the completion of the first day’s rituals.
The Panchkosi Parikrama is an ancient and revered religious tradition of Prayag. Mahant Hari Giri, General Secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad, explained that the pilgrimage is rooted in the traditional geographical expanse of Prayagraj, which is believed to extend across five yojanas and twenty kos.
The region encompasses six riverbanks of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, forming three sacred zones, Antarvedi, Madhyavedi, and Bahirvedi. These areas are home to numerous major and minor pilgrimage sites, temples, ashrams, and monasteries, all of which are covered during the circumambulation.
Performing the Panchkosi Parikrama is considered essential for devotees visiting Prayagraj, as it offers the spiritual merit of darshan of all sacred sites within this holy region.
The grand and divine Magh Mela is marked by several age-old traditions, including Kalpavas and the Panchkosi Parikrama.
Mahant Ravindra Puri, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, who also participated in the pilgrimage, noted that the Panchkosi Parikrama was an integral part of the Magh Mela until it was discontinued 556 years ago during the Mughal period under Emperor Akbar. After centuries, and following persistent demands from saints and ascetics, the tradition was revived in 2019 through the efforts of the CM Yogi government. Since then, the Panchkosi Parikrama has continued uninterrupted, restoring a vital spiritual legacy of Prayagraj.
