India, Jan. 14 -- More than nine lakh devotees took a holy dip in the Ganga and at the Sangam in Prayagraj on Wednesday morning as part of the Makar Sankranti festivities during the ongoing Magh Mela, officials said.

Superintendent of Police (Magh Mela) Neeraj Pandey said pilgrims began arriving at the ghats early in the morning. "By 6 am, over nine lakh devotees had taken a dip in the Ganga and at the Sangam. The number is expected to rise to between one crore and 1.5 crore by Wednesday evening," he said.

While several parts of the country are observing Makar Sankranti on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh will mark the festival on Thursday. Makar Sankranti is the second major bathing festival of the 44-day-long Magh Mela.

To manage the massive...