Prayagraj:

The sacred bath on Maghi Purnima began early Wednesday as millions of devotees gathered in the Maha Kumbh Mela area here amid elaborate arrangements, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath monitoring the event from Lucknow.

With the Maghi Purnima bath, the month-long Kalpavas will also end and the around 10 lakh kalpvasis will start leaving the Maha Kumbh. The administration has requested all Kalpvasis to follow traffic rules and use only authorised parking spaces.

Lakhs of devotees have already taken the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam and other ghats since the bathing started early morning. Millions of devotees are headed to the Sangam Nose to take a dip.

Chief Minister Adityanath is taking regular updates on the ‘Snan’ at Sangam, from the war room set up at his official residence in Lucknow.

Kumbh SSP Rajesh Dwivedi said, “The movement of devotees is going on smoothly and we are taking care of all (crowd) pressure points.” “We have made elaborate arrangements during the previous ‘snan’ on Basant Panchami too. Our arrangements have been further augmented this time. More deployment has been done at all the pressure points. Along with that, we are briefing people to ensure a smooth movement,” he said.

Chief Minister Adityanath greeted devotees and the residents of the state on the holy bathing festival.

“Heartiest greetings to all the revered saints, religious leaders, Kalpvasis and devotees who have come for the holy bath at the sacred Triveni in Maha Kumbh-2025, Prayagraj. May everyone’s life be filled with happiness, prosperity and good fortune by the grace of Lord Shri Hari. May Maa Ganga, Maa Yamuna and Maa Saraswati fulfill everyone’s wishes,” he posted on X.

Officials said they have made elaborate arrangements for the occasion to ensure the devotees take the sacred bath without any hassle.

The fair area has been declared a ‘no vehicle zone’ from 4 am on Tuesday, while the entire city will become a no-vehicle zone from 5 pm onwards, with an exemption for emergency and essential services. To avoid traffic chaos, designated parking lots have been marked for public and private vehicles.

Prayagraj ADG Bhanu Bhaskar said special police forces have been deployed at all places where crowd management becomes challenging.

The special traffic plan will remain in force till the completion of the bathing ritual to ensure safe evacuation of devotees from the fair area in case of any emergency.

ADG Bhaskar said that real time data is being collected from toll plazas and officials of neighboring districts so that the number of vehicles coming and the routes can be monitored and regulated.

Srinivas, who has come from Andhra Pradesh to take a holy dip, said, “It feels good. The UP government has made good arrangements. Many thanks to Yogi Adityanath ji, many thanks to Prime Minister Modi. Everyone has come to take a bath on Maghi Purnima.”

Another devotee, Gayatri, said, “I am very happy to be here at the Kumbh Mela. I feel very good to be here on this auspicious occasion. The UP government has created a good atmosphere here. Actually being a Hindu, this is the first time I have really felt like an Indian. People have shown their religiousness and unity has been promoted.”

Officials said the state transport department has arranged 1,200 additional shuttle buses, which will be available every 10 minutes, for the return of the devotees, The Uttar Pradesh government said on Tuesday that only 14 days are left for the Maha Kumbh to end. More than 45 crore people have taken a dip in the Sangam so far since the grand religious event started on January 13.

The Maha Kumbh will conclude on February 26 with the final Amrit Snan on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

A stampede during the Manui Amaswya ‘Amirt Snan’ on January 29 had left, according to the Uttar Pradesh government, 30 dead and 60 injured. 

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

What is the claim? 

A set of visuals featuring Monalisa Bhosle, a girl from the Mahakumbh festival who went viral, dancing and posing for photojournalists have been circulated online. The posts have been shared following reports of her signing a Hindi movie.

Bhosle, a girl from the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, gained fame after her images were circulated on social media. She was selling beads with her family at the Mahakumbh festival, one of the largest Hindu gatherings in the world, which began on January 13, 2025, and will continue until February 26. 

The viral clips surfaced on various platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X. One such video shows Bhosle wearing a red dress and dancing to a Hindi song at a riverbank, the second video shows her in a black dress dancing at a beach, and the third one shows her waving and posing for photojournalists. Archived versions of all these posts can be accessed here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Logically Facts found that all these videos are deepfakes. The first two videos are of a social media influencer, while the third featured a Bollywood actor interacting with the media.

How did we find it?

A closer examination of the viral clips revealed noticeable inconsistencies, such as unnatural facial movements and changes in skin tone. We were also able to trace the original videos, which were manipulated to create these clips.

Video 1

The first viral video showing Bhosle in a red dress contains a watermark of an Instagram account named “ni8.out9.” Upon reviewing this account, we found the same video (archived here) on the user’s profile, where the bio read “digital creator.” The video, however, was shared with a disclaimer clarifying that it was digitally altered.

The disclaimer in the caption says, “Disclaimer: This video was created using face swap technology for entertainment purposes only. The images and likenesses of actors shown here are digitally altered and do not reflect the real appearances, endorsements, or opinions of the individuals depicted. No intention to deceive or mislead; all content is meant solely for fun and creative expression. Viewer discretion is advised.”

A reverse image search on this clip led us to the original video posted on Instagram by a social media influencer named Tanu Rawat (archived here) on December 11, 2024. A comparison confirmed that Bhosle’s face had been swapped with Rawat’s in the viral clip.

Video 2

The second video was also uploaded by the same user “ni8.out9’s” on Instagram (archived here). Like the previous video, this one, too, featured Rawat. The original video was posted on October 14, 2024 (archived here) and it has been horizontally flipped to add Bhosle’s face.

Furthermore, a review of the account ‘ni8.out9’ revealed multiple such altered videos of Bhosle, all of which carry disclaimers stating they are not real.

Video 3

The original video featured Bollywood actor Wamiqa Gabbi. The actual footage can be viewed here and here (archived links here and here).

We also ran these videos through an online AI detection tool, Hive Moderation, which showed that videos contain “AI-generated or deepfake content.”

The above available evidence establishes that the clips are deepfakes.

The verdict

The viral clips of Monalisa Bhosle dancing and posing for the media are digitally manipulated. The original videos featured social media influencer Tanu Rawat and Bollywood actor Wamiqa Gabbi.

(This story was originally published by Logically Facts, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)

Prayagraj:

India’s space agency, using Indian satellites, has beamed down images of the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela – the world’s single largest religious gathering – at Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

The images by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) show a massive infrastructure made at the fair, where about 40 crore people are expected to visit over the period of 45 days.

Using India’s sophisticated optical satellites and day and night viewing capable radarsat, the National Remote Sensing Center in Hyderabad took a series of images showing the buildup of the massive infrastructure at Maha Kumbh Mela

NDTV’s Science Editor Pallava Bagla accessed these images to show the build-up of the temporary tent city and a huge number of pontoon bridges across the river network.

Dr Prakash Chauhan, the Director of the NRSC, said they used the radarsat as it could image the region through the cloud band that enveloped Prayagraj.

Time series images (September 15, 2023 and December 29, 2024) of EOS-04 (RISAT-1A) ‘C’ band microwave satellite, with its all-weather capability and fine resolution (FRS-1, 2.25m), provide unique insights into details of the Tent City (Layout of Structures and Roads) along with its network of pontoon bridges and supporting infrastructure, set up for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

The administration in Uttar Pradesh is also using these images to mitigate disasters and stampedes at the Mela.

The Prayagraj Parade Ground can be seen in these time series photos taken before the start of the Mahakumbh on April 6, 2024, then as the big development takes place — seen on December 22, 2024 — and when a massive crowd starts gathering to use the same is seen on January 10, 2025

“These advanced technologies represent a paradigm shift in managing large-scale religious gatherings. The Maha Kumbh Mela stands as a shining example of how technology and tradition can come together to create a cleaner, healthier future for all,” Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said.

The creation of the new Shivalay Park is viewed from space. The image from April 6, 2024, shows a clear field and by December 22, 2024, the Shivalay Park comes into existence and the landscape made in the form of the map of India is so beautifully seen and then viewed again on January 10, 2025

A new district – Mahakumbh Nagar – has been carved out in Uttar Pradesh for the religious event, which is celebrated at Triveni Sangam, the point where the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers meet.

This year, the Maha Kumbh Mela has about 1,50,000 tents to house the visitors and is equipped with 3,000 kitchens, 1,45,000 restrooms and 99 parking lots.

Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

Kumbh Mela is celebrated four times over 12 years and rotates between four sacred sites in India – Haridwar (Uttarakhand) on the banks of Ganga, Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) along the Shipra, Nashik (Maharashtra) by the Godavari, and Prayagraj at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati.

Lakhs of pilgrims take a dip in the river during the month-long event. These sacred bathing rituals, also known as Amrit Snans, are believed to purify their souls and wash away their sins.

This year, Prayagraj is hosting the event from January 13 to February 26.

Nearly 26 hectares of land have been reclaimed and about 12 kilometres of additional bathing ghats were created for Maha Kumbh Mela.

Photo Credit: ANI

More than eight crore people have so far taken a dip at the Sangam.

New Delhi:

Abhey Singh, a former aerospace engineer from IIT Bombay who has become a major attraction in Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh Mela, has been expelled from his akhara.

According to media reports, Mr Singh, dubbed the ‘IITian Baba’, was banned from entering the Juna Akhara camp and its surroundings for using abusive language against his Guru, Mahant Someshwar Puri.

A member of the Juna Akhara, however, said he was not associated with them.

“He was defaming us,” he told NDTV. “He was a vagabond, not a sadhu. He used to say anything on TV. He was thrown out.”.

He was not even a disciple of anyone, the member said.

‘IITian Baba’ On His Expulsion

The ‘IITian Baba’ has denied allegations that he was ousted from Akhara. Speaking to a news channel Friday, he accused the seers at the Akhara of spreading rumours about him.

“They think I’ve become famous and that I might expose something about them, so they’re claiming I’ve gone for secret meditation. Those people are talking nonsense,” Mr Singh, who has more than three lakh followers on Instagram, said.

Mr Singh, who is often also referred to as ‘Engineer Baba’, is a resident of Haryana. He says he left the path of science for spirituality.

“Science helps explain the physical world but its deeper study inevitably leads one towards spirituality. A true understanding of life ultimately brings one closer to spirituality,” he had said while engaging with devotees at Maha Kumbh.

The 36-year-old claimed to have completed his aerospace engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.

‘IITian Baba’ Abhey Singh’s Traumatic Past

In an exclusive conversation with NDTV this week, Abhey Singh opened up about how the turmoil in his family home shaped his path.

“There was a mental health issue,” he said hesitantly when asked about his childhood experiences.

“The traumatic incident of domestic violence in my childhood had a significant effect on me,” he said.

Asked if he had experienced domestic violence firsthand, Mr Singh clarified, “Not directly, but my parents used to fight amongst themselves, which affects the child.”

“During my school days, I’d come home at 5 or 6 pm, and go straight to sleep to escape the chaos. I’d wake up at midnight when everything was quiet and no one was getting into fights, lock my door, and study in peace,” Mr Singh told NDTV.

He described the “helplessness” he felt as a child, watching his parents fight. “As a child, you don’t understand what’s happening, and you don’t know how to react. Your mind isn’t developed enough. You’re just helpless,” he said.

Asked if this childhood trauma influenced his decision not to marry, the ‘IITian Baba’ chuckled and admitted, “Exactly. I thought, why get married and face the same fights and conflicts that I saw in my childhood? It’s better to live alone and have a peaceful life.”

Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh:

Millions of devotees took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam on Tuesday morning, marking the first ‘Amrit Snan’ (bath) of the Maha Kumbh 2025. Many foreign devotees also immersed themselves in the sacred tradition and sang ‘bhajans’. 

Held once every 12 years, people attend Maha Kumbh to take a dip in the sacred waters, believed to wash away sins and purify the soul.

Maha Kumbh, dubbed the largest gathering of humanity in the world, is expected to bring more than 40 crore people to Prayagraj, which is more than the population of the US and Russia. The event has been set up at around 4,000 hectares and will continue till February 26. Massive security arrangements have also been made across the city, including AI cameras and underwater drones.

Here are the live updates on Maha Kumbh 2025:

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.)

New Delhi:

As the countdown begins for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), the government on Friday launched an AI-powered chatbot equipped with multi-lingual capability to assist pilgrims and visitors.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, the initiative is a part of the “Digital Mahakumbh” vision.

AI chatbot Kumbh Sah’AI’yak will provide real-time, uninterrupted responses, and serve as a free 24/7 guide, offering navigation assistance, and customised cultural insights.

Developed by the Prayagraj Mela Authority and UPDESCO, the Kumbh Sah’AI’yak app is hosted on open-source LLM provided by Ola’s Krutrim.

It supports Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Malayalam, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada and Bengali.

“The platform allows the pilgrims to easily navigate the Mela area, offering guidance on various topics such as the history, rituals, and significance of Maha Kumbh, travel and accommodation options, and key attractions around Prayagraj.

“Additionally, with strong security measures in place to ensure privacy and prevent misinformation, the chatbot offers a seamless, safe, and enriching experience for all attendees,” a statement by Ola Krutrim said.

The 2025 Maha Kumbh mela will be held from January 13 (Paush Poornima) to February 26 (Maha Shivratri) at Prayagraj. The Maha Kumbh is organised every 12 years. The religious festival is anticipated to see around 400 million pilgrims and visitors from all corners of the globe.

“With this innovation, we celebrate the convergence of heritage and progress, while remaining steadfast in our commitment to driving India’s journey towards digital empowerment and technological independence, fueled by our investments in AI, chip designing, and cloud infrastructure,” Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal said.

The Prime Minister termed the Maha Kumbh 2025 as a “mahayagya of unity” which would take the country’s cultural and spiritual identity to new heights.

Addressing a public meeting in Prayagraj while inaugurating various developmental projects, he said the differences of castes and sects disappear at the Maha Kumbh.

“The Maha Kumbh is a mahayagya of unity,” Modi said. “It will take the country’s cultural and spiritual identity to new heights.” He inaugurated 167 key development projects worth Rs 5,500 crore, aimed at improving the city’s infrastructure for the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela.

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

Workers construct a temporary pontoon bridge over the Ganga river as part of preparations for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, in Prayagraj, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

In a landmark decision, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has declared the Maha Kumbh area in Prayagraj as a new district.

The decision, taken on Sunday (December 1, 2024), which led to the formation of the new Maha Kumbh Mela district, was made to streamline the management and administration of the upcoming Kumbh Mela, ensuring smooth operations for the grand religious event scheduled for January 2025.

The newly formed district will be known as Maha Kumbh Mela. This step has been taken to smoothly manage the special event of Kumbh Mela and conduct administrative work in a better manner.

Also Read | Railways to run over 1300 trains for Prayagraj’s Mahakumbh Mela from January 13 to February 26

“I, Ravindra Kumar Mandad, District Magistrate, in continuation of the instructions given in Government’s letter No.-3966 / 9-1-2024-408057 dated 25.11.2024, exercising the powers conferred under Section 2 (th) of the Uttar Pradesh Prayagraj Mela Authority, Prayagraj Act, 2017, hereby issue a notification to declare Mahakumbh Mela District for the organization of Mahakumbh 2025. The boundary of the Mahakumbh Mela District will be as follows. The area of the revenue villages and the entire parade area described in Annexure-I will be included in the Mahakumbh Mela District / Mela Area,” the official order stated.

“In the Maha Kumbh Mela district / Mela area, the Mela Adhikari, Kumbh Mela, Prayagraj will have the powers of Executive Magistrate, District Magistrate and Additional District Magistrate under Section-14 (1) and other relevant sections of the Indian Civil Defense Code, 2023 and all the powers of the District Magistrate under the said Code or any other law currently in force and will have the right to exercise all the powers of the Collector in all categories of cases and to perform all the functions of the Collector under Section-12 and other relevant sections of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006 [as amended by the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code (Amendment) Act, 2016 (U.P. Act No. 4, 2016)] by appointing an Additional Collector in the said district. This order will come into force with immediate effect,” the order read further.

It is worth noting that the upcoming Maha Kumbh, held once every 12 years, is scheduled to begin on January 13 and conclude on February 26, 2025, in Prayagraj.

The Maha Kumbh is expected to be a milestone in the promotion of Indian culture.