As many as 8.5 million people bathed at the Sangam in Allahabad on Makar Sankranti day on January 14, which marked the beginning of the 55 day Kumbh festival. Unofficial estimates put the number of devotees who offered prayers at the ghats at over 10 mill
Boatmen say there was a time when it was difficult to move the oars because of the presence of large number of migratory birds at the Kumbh. This year there were hardly any birds to be seen