Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (17 March) said that due to the Covid-19 situation, the ongoing Kumbh in Haridwar should now only be symbolic.

PM Modi took to Twitter to inform that he had a telephonic conversation with the Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara Swami Avdheshanand Giri.

"Spoke to honourable Swami Avdheshanand Giri ji on the phone today. Enquired about the health of all saints. All the saints are providing support to the administration for a smooth conduct of the affair and I thanked them for it," the PM tweeted in Hindi.

In another tweet, PM Modi said, "Now that two royal baths have taken place, I appeal to everyone to keep Kumbh Mela symbolic due to the coronavirus crisis. This will give strength to India's fight against the virus."

PM Modi's appeal comes in the wake of nearly 2,000 devotees testing positive for Covid-19 at Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in around a week's time, reports LiveMint.

After PM Modi's appeal, Swami Avdheshanand requested people to not come to Kumbh for bathing in large numbers and follow rules.

"We respect Prime Minister's appeal. I request the people to not come for snan in large numbers, in the wake of COVID19 situation, and follow all rules," he wrote on Twitter.

It should be noted that the auspicious Kumbh Mela, which normally goes on from mid-January to April, has been shortened to just one month from 1-30 April in the wake of Covid-19 situation in the country.