‘As panic struck, individuals scattered, cries for assist changed holy chants’

At 1am, we joined the circulation of humanity. We had been 30m from the photographers’ stage when the group immediately stopped,” write TOI photographers Basabdatta Sarkar & Krishna Roy. “There was a pushback, followed by screams… Holy chants turned to cries for help.”
Since we arrived Sunday in Prayagraj, all we heard had been chants of “Har Har Gange” and “Har Har Mahadev” as hundreds of thousands of devotees made their solution to Triveni Sangam. All drawn by the religion that bathing within the holy waters can result in salvation.
Wednesday, we knew, was the massive day – Mauni Amavasya – probably the most auspicious of the six dates for the Amrit Snan. Crores of trustworthy had been anticipated. Although there have been six ghats, it was Sangam that drew everybody. There was a brief window until 4am for devotees earlier than solely sadhus had been allowed entry to the river.
By 1am, we joined the circulation of humanity – to not bathe, however to achieve a photographers’ platform, hoping to seize the dimensions of this grand non secular gathering. We had been simply 30m from the stage when the group immediately stopped. A pointy pushback got here, adopted by piercing screams. First ladies, then kids and males. “Something must have happened. Is it a stampede?” was our first thought.
As panic took over, individuals rushed in all instructions. We sprinted to the platform and one way or the other climbed up. From there, we noticed a sea of heads arising and down, with some immediately getting sucked in and disappearing. The holy chants had been changed by determined cries for assist.
Quickly, police whistles, ambulance sirens, and the sight of RAF personnel and mounted police stuffed the air. It felt like an eternity earlier than the ambulances lastly left, carrying the useless and injured. The aftermath was haunting – an eerie silence, damaged solely by the occasional cries of youngsters, heaps of discarded garments, footwear, and luggage lined the bottom, greater than we had ever seen in our lives. We solely hoped nobody was trapped beneath them.
We gathered our ideas and cameras. We had come to seize vignettes of a vibrant non secular celebration. We’re leaving with frames of a heartbreaking tragedy.