New Delhi:

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has announced a 50 per cent reduction in airfare for passengers traveling to the Kumbh Mela in an exclusive interview with NDTV. The new reduced fares came into effect starting today.

The government has already directed airlines to cut the ticket prices. Three meetings were held with airline companies before implementing the fare reduction.

Airlines were reminded that such a grand event happens once in 140 years, and they must be mindful of the significance.

At the same time, the government has ensured that airlines do not suffer financial losses due to the fare reduction.

Earlier, aviation watchdog DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) had asked airlines to rationalise airfares for flights to Prayagraj. On January 23, the DGCA officials held a meeting with airline representatives regarding this. 

In January, the DGCA had approved of 81 additional flights to meet the increased demand. Airlines, including SpiceJet, are operating more flights and the number of flights operating to and from the city has gone up to 132.

But the increased number also came with a huge spike in air fare, with Delhi-Prayagraj ticket prices alone seeing a 21-fold rise.

The Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will conclude on February 26.

The total footfall for the mega religious festival has surpassed 199.4 million, despite a stampede earlier this week due to the overwhelming rush at key bathing ghats.

A temporary city has sprung up across 4,000 hectares (9,990 acres) on the river banks – the size of 7,500 football fields – with 150,000 tents to accommodate devotees and almost an equal number of toilets.

Lucknow:

Google is celebrating the ongoing Maha Kumbh with a rose petal animation on its search screen.

If one looks up ‘Kumbh’, ‘Maha Kumbh’, ‘Kumbh Mela’, ‘Mahakumbh’ or any similar iterations on Google, the screen plays an animation in the background showing a virtual shower of rose petals.

Google also allows for the animation to be replayed or shared with others via email, Facebook, X, and WhatsApp. A third option allows one to dismiss the animation.

“Google search engine uniquely celebrates the commencement of Maha Kumbh 2025 at Prayagraj. When you search Maha Kumbh it will shower petals on the screen in honour of Maha Kumbh,” stated a message posted on the official X handle of the Maha Kumbh.

The Maha Kumbh — one of the largest spiritual gatherings on the planet — is being held on the banks of the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, in Prayagraj.

The mega fair, where millions of pilgrims turn up for a holy dip in the Sangam in their quest for ‘Moksha’ and to cleanse their sins in the sacred waters, kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26.

While nearly 5 crore people descended for the Maha Kumbh on the first two days itself, the Uttar Pradesh government, which is hosting the event, expects a footfall of 40 crore to 45 crore during the entire Mela period.

The Kumbh Mela draws millions of devotees to the banks of India’s sacred rivers. While the event is synonymous with spirituality, tradition, and community, its various iterations – Ardh Kumbh, Purna Kumbh, and Maha Kumbh – hold unique distinctions.

As the ongoing Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj witnesses a huge turnout of pilgrims, including foreign visitors, many wonder how these versions of the Kumbh Mela differ in scale, significance, and frequency.

Here’s a closer look at the distinctions that define each.

Kumbh Mela

The Kumbh Mela is held four times over the course of 12 years in Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. The Kumbh returns to each city after completing a cycle of 12 years. 

Ardh Kumbh

The Ardh Kumbh Mela is held every six years and alternates between the sacred locations of Prayagraj and Haridwar. The term “ardh” means “half,” signifying this event as a mid-point between the larger Kumbh festivals. Despite being smaller in scale compared to the Purna Kumbh, it holds immense religious significance. Millions of devotees and ascetics gather to take a ritual bath in the rivers to cleanse their sins and receive spiritual blessings.

Purna Kumbh

The Purna Kumbh Mela, meaning “complete Kumbh,” occurs every 12 years and rotates among four holy locations: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. The event is marked by grand celebrations and massive gatherings of pilgrims who consider it a sacred duty to participate. Each location corresponds to a specific confluence or river believed to have divine powers during this time. The planetary alignments of Jupiter and the Sun determine the timing of the Purna Kumbh, making it one of the most significant spiritual gatherings in Hinduism.

An Atharva Veda (19.53.3) verse reads:

“O saints! The Purna Kumbh occurs every twelve years and is witnessed at the four sacred sites of Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik. Kumbh represents a cosmic event influenced by the alignment of planets and constellations.”

Maha Kumbh

The Maha Kumbh Mela, the rarest and grandest of all, is held every 144 years (12 Kumbh cycles) in Prayagraj. “Maha” means “great”. It occurs after 12 cycles of the twelve-year Purna Kumbh, aligning with highly auspicious planetary positions. This once-in-a-lifetime event draws millions, including sages, sadhus, and spiritual seekers, from across the globe, who gather at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati for a deeply transformative experience.

Kumbh: Mythological Belief

The Kumbh Mela originates from the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan) in Hindu mythology, where gods and demons fought for the Amrit (nectar) that grants immortality. The battle lasted twelve divine days, equivalent to twelve human years, and drops of nectar fell at four locations — Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik — which are now the Kumbh Mela sites.

Deities played key roles in protecting the pot of nectar: The Moon prevented it from overflowing, the Sun kept it from breaking, Jupiter guarded it from demons, and Saturn made sure it was safe. 

Finally, Lord Vishnu, taking the avatar of Mohini, distributed the nectar among the gods, putting an end to the battle and making these locations sacred for the Kumbh Mela.

Prayagraj:

As the biggest spiritual gathering in the world begins with the ‘Shahi Snan’ on the auspicious occasion of Paush Purnima on Monday, devotees from not just India but around the world are flocking to the Triveni Sangam in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj to take a holy dip during the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Despite the freezing waters during the cold winter season, a group of foreign devotees took a dip in the Triveni Sangam, the sacred confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and the ‘mystical’ Saraswati.

#WATCH | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh | A group of foreign devotees to take holy dip as #MahaKumbh2025 – the biggest gathering of human beings in the world begins with the ‘Shahi Snan’ on the auspicious occasion of Paush Purnima, today pic.twitter.com/V71rKvSXgL

— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2025

A Brazilian devotee, Francisco, who came to India for the first time in search of moksha (salvation), said that it was an amazing feeling to be present there. He mentioned that the water at the confluence was cold, but his heart was filled with warmth after he took a dip.

“I came to India for the first time… I practice Yoga and I am searching for moksha. It’s amazing here; India is the spiritual heart of the world… The water is cold, but the heart is filled with warmth,” he said.

#WATCH | Prayagraj | A Brazilian devotee at #MahaKumbh2025, Fransisco says, “I practice Yoga and I am searching for Moksha. It’s amazing here, India is the spiritual heart of the world… Water is cold but the heart is filled with warmth.” pic.twitter.com/as1oBQXmGl

— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2025

Another devotee from Spain expressed that he felt very lucky to have taken a dip there.

“We are many friends here–from Spain, Brazil, Portugal… We are on a spiritual trip. I took a holy dip and enjoyed it much; I am very lucky,” he said.

Another devotee, Jitesh Prabhakar, who is originally from Mysore and is now a German citizen, also visited the Mela along with his wife, Saskia Knauf and baby boy, Aditya.

“It doesn’t matter if I live here (in India) or abroad–the connection should be there. I practice yoga every day. One should be grounded and always try to travel towards inner self,” he said.

“I am very excited. I always like coming here,” his wife added.

A devotee from South Africa’s Cape Town said, “It’s so beautiful. The streets are clean, the people are so friendly and happy… We practice Sanatan Dharm…”

Another devotee from South Africa’s Cape Town Nikki said, “It’s very very powerful and we are very blessed to be here at river Ganga…”

#WATCH | Prayagraj | A Russian devotee at #MahaKumbh2025, says, “…’Mera Bharat Mahaan’… India is a great country. We are here at Kumbh Mela for the first time. Here we can see the real India – the true power lies in the people of India. I am shaking because of the vibe of the… pic.twitter.com/vyXj4m4BRs

— ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2025

Meanwhile, teams of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are also present at the spot to ensure the safety and security of devotees arriving at Mela Kshetra.

Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

This year, the Maha Kumbh has an added significance to it as it falls during a rare celestial alignment that occurs only once in 144 years.

Traffic Police authorities have made elaborate arrangements and implemented a detailed plan to ensure smooth vehicular movement and safety for devotees visiting the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Notably, the entry route to the Sangam Mela area will be through Jawaharlal Nehru Marg (Black Road), while the exit route will be via Triveni Marg. During the major bathing festivals, the Akshayavat Darshan will remain closed to visitors.

Parking lots for vehicles coming from Jaunpur would include Chini Mill Parking, Purva Surdas Parking, Garapur Road, Samyamai Temple Kachar Parking and Badra Saunoti Rahimapur Marg, Northern/Southern Parking.

The Maha Kumbh is being celebrated after 12 years, and over 45 crore devotees are expected for the event. The Maha Kumbh will conclude on February 26.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Sagar Island:

Asserting that over one crore pilgrims visit Gangasagar Mela each year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday demanded that the Centre declare the religious congregation as a national fair.

She also accused the central government of not keeping its promise of building a bridge over a river connecting Sagar Island with the mainland.

“We have done everything for Gangasagar. The central government provides a fund worth several thousands of crores of rupees for the Kumbh Mela. Over a crore of people come to Gangasagar Mela each year. I have been repeatedly telling them to declare this as a national mela, but the request falls on deaf ears,” Ms Banerjee said.

She said that people can go to Kumbh Mela through several routes, but reaching Sagar Island for the Gangasagar Mela is a strenuous job.

Ms Banerjee alleged that the central government failed to keep up its promise to build a bridge to help pilgrims reach Sagar Island easily.

“We have been trying to connect this place with a bridge. I have once spoken to the central government. One minister had promised to build a bridge. I waited for three to four years and they did nothing.

“I have started believing that they (Centre) will never give us the funds. So what we will have to do is construct the bridge despite the financial crisis. We have already conducted a survey and tender floated,” she added.

It will take three to four years to complete the structure and the expense will be around Rs 1,500 crore, Ms Banerjee said.

“It will be a tough job. A hasty job may lead to the collapse of the bridge,” she said.

The chief minister said that her government has revamped infrastructure for Gangasagar Mela and built a helipad.

Meanwhile, Ms Banerjee requested a senior priest of the Kapil Muni Ashram to use the funds they receive to construct a concrete structure to stop the sea from advancing.

“The sea is approaching and from time to time it comes closer to the Kapil Muni temple. You get several funds for the ashram and you send them to UP. I will not interfere with that. But if you take some part from that fund and cover the surrounding area with concrete, then it could be a permanent solution,” she said.

The beach in front of Kapil Muni Temple has been witnessing erosion following a rise in the sea level.

“We do it as much as we can. We do not take any money from you. We spent a lot to conduct dredging, to build jetties, to set up hospitals, and arrange for transportation,” she said.

Banerjee said that she has directed Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to chalk out a plan to create separate sub-divisions for Gosaba and Patharpratima and another for Sandeshkhali and Hingalganj assembly constituencies.

“These are far-off places surrounded by water all around. These will definitely help the locals in getting their government jobs done with ease,” she said. PTI SCH NN

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

With the Maha Kumbh festival less than two weeks away, electricity infrastructure worth Rs 400 crore has been put in place to ensure 24-hour power supply for over 40 crore devotees.

To this end, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has constructed 182 km of high tension lines and 1,405 km of low tension lines.

The Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government will also illuminate the fair grounds with over 40,000 rechargeable bulbs. Anoop Kumar Sinha, Executive Engineer in charge of the Electricity Department, told ANI that the state government plans to install these rechargeable bulbs at key points. “In addition to standard LED bulbs, rechargeable bulbs will be installed at key points, including the 4.5 lakh electrical connections for camps,” he said.

Sinha informed that the funding for these rechargeable bulbs with an approximate cost of Rs 2.7 crores, will be sourced from the ongoing projects of the Electricity Department for Mahakumbh.

The Kumbh will be held in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj for 45 days, from January 13 to February 26. In preparation for the festival, state authorities renovated 92 roads, constructed 30 bridges and installed 800 multi-lingual signages. For the first time, underwater drones capable of diving up to 100 meters will provide round-the-clock surveillance at the river confluence or Triveni Sangam area, while drones will also monitor the aerial situation.

2,700 CCTV cameras with Artificial Intelligence capabilities will deployed for real-time monitoring, apart from facial recognition technology at entry points of Mahakumbh Nagar.

The Maha Kumbh Mela, often regarded as the largest spiritual gathering in the world, sees pilgrims take a cleansing bath that is believed to purify the soul. Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik are now considered sacred, and the Kumbh Mela is held at each location in a rotating cycle every few years.