Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh):

Prayagraj witnessed a large gathering of devotees at Triveni Sangam as Maha Kumbh commenced with the ‘Shahi Snan’ on the auspicious occasion of Paush Purnima on Monday.

A large number of devotees are arriving at the bank of Triveni Sangam – a sacred confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and ‘mystical’ Saraswati. Devotees took a holy dip and performed the sacred ritual on this auspicious occasion.

A devotee Vijay Kumar said, “… The arrangements here are very good. There is an arrangement for everything – for food and accommodation… the roads are also good.”

“We go to Kumbh Mela wherever it is organised. I live in a small temple – I go to every pilgrim in India…,” another devotee said.

A devotee from Rajasthan’s Jaipur, Chunni Lal said, “…I thank CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi; we all are feeling good by being here.”

“The government has made good arrangements. I am thankful to the media as well… We are going to take a holy dip,” a devotee said.

Meanwhile, NDRF teams and water police of Uttar Pradesh Police deployed at places to ensure the safety and security of devotees.

This year, Maha Kumbh, the largest spiritual gathering in the world, has become more special because of the 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 for 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.)

New Delhi:

India is all set to host the world’s largest gathering of humanity, with over 400 million people expected to gather in the city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh for the Maha Kumbh Mela or Great Pitcher Festival. A sacred event for Hindus, the Maha Kumbh is set to start on Monday, with devotees from across India and beyond lining up to take a holy dip at the confluence of three sacred rivers – the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical, invisible Saraswati.

During six weeks from January 13 to February 26, pilgrims will take part in elaborate rituals, prayers and religious processions with elephants, as well as horse-back parades and chariots. 

Mythology Behind Maha Kumbh 

Source: AFP

The organisation of Maha Kumbh finds its roots in Hindu mythology that says lord Vishnu wrested a golden pitcher, or Kumbh, containing the nectar of immortality from demons. In a 12-day celestial fight for possession, four drops fell to earth, in the cities of Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik, which host the festival every three years by rotation. 

The Kumbh is held once every 12 years in this cycle and has the prefix ‘maha’ (great) as it is considered more auspicious due to its timing and attracts the largest gathering.

Sacred Bathing

Source: AFP

A central part of the Kumbh Mela’s rituals is bathing in the holy rivers, with the dawn charge often led by naked, ash-smeared monks. Devout Hindus believe that taking a dip in the sacred waters during the Kumbh Mela absolves people of sins and brings salvation from the cycle of life and death.

Many pilgrims embrace a life of simplicity during the festival — vowing non-violence, celibacy and the offering of alms — and focusing on prayer and meditation. 

Key Dates

Source: AFP

The Holy bathing takes place every day of the Kumbh festivities, but on the most auspicious dates, it is known as Shahi Snan, or “royal bath”. Ceremonies also include the visually spectacular “aarti” when vast numbers of priests perform rituals holding flickering lamps.

Key dates include January 13, the start of the festivities that coincides with the full moon. One of the most popular days is January 29, Mauni Amavasya, when celestial alignments are said to be ideal for purifying waters. Celebrations culminate on February 26, Maha Shivaratri, the final holy bathing day. 

Mega Test Of Crowd Management

Source: AFP

Organisers say the scale of preparations for the Kumbh Mela is akin to setting up a country from scratch. It is a big test for authorities to showcase India’s ability to organise and manage the movement of millions of people and retain the ancient festival’s sanctity.

A sprawling 4,000 hectares of open land along the banks of the rivers has been converted into a temporary city to house the visitors in 150,000 tents and comes equipped with 3,000 kitchens, 145,000 restrooms and 99 parking lots.

Authorities are also installing up to 450,000 new electricity connections, with the Kumbh expected to drain more power than what 100,000 urban apartments in the region consume in a month.

Indian Railways has introduced 98 special trains that will make 3,300 trips during the festival to transport visitors besides regular trains that connect Prayagraj.

Prashant Kumar, the police chief of Uttar Pradesh, said around 40,000 police personnel and cybercrime experts have created a web of surveillance powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to protect and help navigate the sea of humanity at the site.

“Security and safety of pilgrims is our priority,” said Kumar.

Emergency response capabilities include 125 road ambulances, seven river ambulances and air ambulances for swift medical assistance.

The state government has allocated 64 billion rupees ($765 million) for this year’s event, officials said. It has also promoted the Kumbh Mela at several international tourism expositions and invited foreign representatives.

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh):

The Uttar Pradesh government has implemented extensive security measures and made elaborate arrangements to ensure a safe and grand celebration of Maha Kumbh 2025.

With the deployment of thousands of AI-powered CCTVs, underwater drones, and state-of-the-art facilities for visitors and devotees, the state government and administration are ready for the grand mela, scheduled to begin on January 13 in Prayagraj.

The Maha Kumbh, held once every 12 years, will conclude on February 26.

On Sunday, police and paramilitary forces conducted security checks and area domination patrolling to ensure security preparedness in the mela area.

Jagdish Kaliraman, ACP (Parade Area Kumbh), said that they are conducting regular checks and monitoring based on instructions from senior officials.

“We are doing security checks constantly at the parade point, as the public will enter and exit from this point. It is a sensitive point, so manual and equipment-based checking is ongoing. We are also checking at the district hospital where people come for health check-ups,” the ACP said.

Prayagraj Commissioner of Police, Tarun Gauba, also visited various akharas and interacted with saints and sadhus to assess the arrangements.

“We are visiting different akharas, establishing contact with sadhus and saints to ensure everything is in place. We are also in touch with all the stakeholders here and ensuring security arrangements are ready,” Commissioner Gauba told ANI.

Speaking about underwater drones, the Commissioner said, “We have an underwater drone to monitor any security issues and meet disaster management needs.”

Alongside the security efforts, a ‘Netra Kumbh’ event is also being organized to provide free eye check-ups and spectacles to lakhs of people. The event, recognized in the Limca Book of Records, is aiming for a mention in the Guinness World Records as well.

Swami Avdheshanand Giri Maharaj, the chief guest, highlighted the importance of the initiative.

“The eye is the most sensitive organ, and through ‘Netra Kumbh,’ we aim to help as many people as possible,” he said. Last time, 1 lakh pairs of spectacles were distributed, and this year, more will be provided.

For devotees seeking a VIP bathing experience, a floating self-propelled jetty is being placed to provide a serene experience away from the crowd at Sangam Ghat. Developed by the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, the jetty has been built a a team, Prof Ranadev Datta with work progressing rapidly in Arail.

“This time on the occasion of Maha Kumbh, the government is going to make some different arrangements for the devotees. If the devotees bathing in Sangam want to take a VIP bath away from the crowd then a floating self-propelled jetty will be placed for them,” Prof Datta told ANI.

He added further, “Das & Kumar Company of Varanasi has been given the responsibility of building the VVIP jetty. This work is going on at a fast pace in Arail.”

Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government has deployed 40 electric buses for devotees, with 30 more buses expected from Lucknow to ensure seamless transportation across various routes.

As Maha Kumbh preparations intensify, multiple sages and akharas are drawing attention.

Notable figures such as Bavander Baba, who travelled over 100,000 kilometres, and Splendor Baba, a differently-abled individual who journeyed from Gujarat on a three-wheeler motorcycle, are attending the Kumbh Mela.

Anjana Giri, originally from Italy, embraced Sanatan Dharma 30 years ago and has since been an active advocate of Hindutva.

Since then, she has fully embraced Hinduism, becoming an active member of the Atal Akhada and a passionate advocate of Hindutva.

The main bathing rituals (Shahi Snan) of the Kumbh will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami).

Pilgrims will gather at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, to take a holy dip believed to absolve sins and grant moksha (liberation). The Maha Kumbh Mela is expected to host over 45 crore visitors.

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