More than 13.5 lakh devotees turned up at the ghats of Ganga in Haridwar for the third shahi snan during the Kumbh Mela on Wednesday.

While the authorities said adequate measures, such as mandatory negative RTPCR reports for those coming in, have been in place to ensure safety of the devotees, many of the visitors The Indian Express spoke to said belief was more important than the pandemic. Kumbh happens once in 12 years and they can’t miss it, the devotees said.

“It is a matter of faith which is bigger than anything else. I am a believer in god. How can I miss this opportunity to take bath on this auspicious day,” said Vicky Tyagi, a railway employee posted in Delhi.