Allahabad/UP, Jan. 15 -- As the first Shahi Snan (auspicious bath) of the 2019 Kumbh Mela got underway Tuesday, a UP Cabinet minister said the religious congregation is being held in Prayagraj after 350 years as the holy city was renamed Allahabad in the past.

Religious Affairs Minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary also claimed that it's perhaps for the first time since Independence that proper arrangements (of milk, ghee, food, blankets and firewood) have been made for the seers, ashrams and akharas.

"Nearly 350 years ago, the name of Prayagraj -- considered a prominent centre of Hindu culture and Sanatan Dharma -- was changed to Allahabad. However, last year, under the leadership of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, it was decided that Al...