PRAYAGRAJ, Jan. 6 -- The Panchkosi Parikrama began at the Magh Mela on Monday with traditional rituals and a large gathering of saints and devotees. The five-day pilgrimage commenced with Ganga Puja at the Sangam, led by the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad and Shri Panch Dashnam Juna Akhara. The yatra will conclude with a bhandara for saints and ascetics on the final day. The Magh Mela administration has taken charge of traffic and logistical arrangements for the duration of the pilgrimage. After the Ganga Puja, the procession of saints proceeded to the sacred Akshayavat and then to the Adi Shankar Vimana Mandapam temple, completing the rituals of the first day. The Panchkosi Parikrama is among the oldest and most revered spiritual traditions of Prayag. According to Mahant Hari Giri, general secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad, the pilgrimage reflects the ancient geographical expanse of Prayagraj, traditionally believed to cover 'five yojanas and twenty kos'. This sacred region includes the riverbanks of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, forming three holy zones-Antarvedi, Madhyavedi, and Bahirvedi. The route passes through numerous historic pilgrimage spots, temples, ashrams, and monasteries, offering devotees the spiritual merit of darshan of all significant sites within the holy territory. Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, said the Panchkosi Parikrama was once an integral part of the Magh Mela but was discontinued 556 years ago during the Mughal era under Emperor Akbar. htc...