Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed the countrymen Wednesday to attend next year's Kumbh Mela at Allahabad in large numbers.
Kumbh Mela will begin in Allahabad on January 15, 2019.
"The coming Kumbh is going be historic and very special. For the first time in history, devotees would be able to dip not only at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna, but they will also be able to feel the invisible Saraswati river," he said.
"We are making efforts to open the gate of Prayag Fort where Saraswati is situated and we are talking with the Government of India and the Archaeological Survey of India for this purpose," Adityanath said.
It is traditionally believed that the 'invisible' Saraswati river joins the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna at Allahabad, and it comes up in a temple at Allahabad (Prayag) Fort.
Adityanath said his government is going to invite the ambassador of every country in the world to the Mela.
"We will invite not only Indians living in foreign countries but also foreign nationals to be a part of the world's largest congregation," he said.
He was speaking at Sanskriti Kumbh, an event organised by Naimisharanya Foundation to discuss the significance of Kumbh Mela.
The main area of Kumbh Mela would be doubled from earlier 5,000 acres to 10,000 acres this time and 15 crore people are expected to attend it, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also attended the event, said Kumbh Mela is a symbol of faith and unity, and even UNESCO has recognised it.
"Our culture is like the flowing water of Ganga which is old and pure and has also changed with time. This is why many cultures were vanquished but our culture is intact," Fadnavis said.
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