Today is Makar Sankranti, one of the main bathing days at the Sangam ( confluence of rivers ) in Allahabad ( Prayagraj ), my native town.

Sometimes I cry when I read these lines of the great Urdu poet Munawwar Rana ( in his book Mohajirnama, which expresses the anguish of the mohajirs who had migrated to Pakistan ) :

”Woh sangam ka ilaaqa chhoota ?

Ya chhod aaye hain ?”.

They describe my anguish too, since I left Allahabad ( where I had spent most of my life ) permanently in 2004 on being appointed Chief Justice of Madras High Court.

Goswami Tulsidas has written in Ramcharitmanas :

”Ko kahi sakai Prayag prabhau

Kalush punj kunjar mrigrau”

i.e.

”Who can tell the greatness of Prayag ?

 It destroys all sins, like a lion which kills an elephant.”

Justice Markandey Katju