Dawn to dusk, sunset to sunrise... it's religion 24X7 at Triveni Sangam

Mahakumbh Nagar: Pilgrims thronging river banks through the clock, vendors selling 'puja' ware and security staff everywhere to manage the crowds converging at confluence point -- the Triveni Sangam is where the lines between day and night blur.

From morning till dusk and midnight till dawn, the cycle of spiritual bathing at the mega gathering of humanity in this holy city goes on without a break.

The religious festival, billed to be the largest gathering of people in the world, ends on Wednesday with the final 'snan' on Mahashivratri. And to make the most of the time left, a sea of people can be seen going into and out of the Maha Kumbh Mela area at any given time, many choosing the night to avoid the massive rush during the day.

Around 1.30 am Tuesday, when much of the country was sleeping, the ghats facing the Sangam nose, where the Yamuna, Ganga and the mythical Saraswati meet, and near the spot were buzzing with life with a surge of humanity rushing in with just one purpose -- 'Kumbh snan'.

The crowd swelled hour after hour. Pilgrims jostled with each other to reach the river bank, and those having taken the holy dip struggled to find a spot to change their clothes. The banks were literally choked with devotees, young and old, rural and urban, men and women.

"'Jai Ganga Maiyya, I had my 'snan' and it feels reinvigorating. This is my first time at any Kumbh Mela, I am glad I could be part of it," said a pilgrim from Jharkhand's Sahibganj, who took a dip along with his wife and son at around 2 am.

As the crowds continued to grow, many just sitting down at and near the Triveni Sangam, police personnel in uniform walked near the banks instructing people to not put any bags on ground near the edges of the ghats, and not jostle for space.

"'Aage badhiye, aage badhiye' (move forward, move forward)," shouted a policeman on duty to people and told then not to push and shove, repeatedly blowing his whistle to manage the crowd.

The rush kept increasing. Many got separated from their loved ones and friends either at the banks or at other parts of the Mela area.

The 'Lost and Found' Centre at Sector 3, Akshay Vat Road was abuzz with activity even at 3 am.

Ramesh Kaidan from Madhya Pradesh had lost his wife waited at the centre anxiously. So did Munnilal Thakur from Bihar's West Chandigarh district who looked out for his brother, sister-in-law and grandson.

A flurry of announcements were made on loudspeakers in the Mela area while a digital screen at the centre displayed names (mostly with photos) of persons lost or found by authorities.

The Triveni Marg connecting Naya Pul near Minto Park and the Maha Kumbh Mela area was an ocean of people, some going to the ghats and others getting back.

Around 3.45 am, a group of 34 pilgrims -- friends and family members -- from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh were on their way out. And a huge batch of 100 devotees from Maharashtra, sporting matching saffron vests, was on its way for a dip straight from the Prayagraj station.

Dhanraj Wasadekar, one of the pilgrims from Maharashtra, said he was attending Kumbh Mela for the first time.

"We are all from different parts of Maharashtra, who converged at Mumbai and then from there we took a train to reach Prayagraj," he told PTI while walking the Triveni Marg.

The 45-day religious congregation, which began on January 13, culminates on February 26. Over 60 crore people have taken a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam since it started, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.

Vendors selling 'shivling' rudraksha garlands, water containers to carry river water, and ceremonial threads could be seen doing business the whole night

"This place gets crowd of pilgrims throughout the day, the ghats are choked all night too. Sangam is always abuzz with life and constant movement of people," said Manisha, a ceremonial threads seller from Rajasthan.

A food court just outside Maha Kumbh Mela area, and located along Triveni Marg, was open for business even close to 4 am as were many streetside eateries and stalls, feeding exhausted pilgrims and giving them the energy to carry on their journey, faith in their heart and a prayer on their lips.