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.

Prayagraj:

Ahead of the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government in a landmark decision has declared the Maha Kumbh area in Prayagraj as a new district.

The decision, taken on Sunday, which led to the formation of the new Maha Kumbh Mela district, was made to streamline the management and administration of the upcoming Maha 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.

The intention behind this decision was expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during Magh Mela 2024, before the Maha Kumbh 2025 event.

Prime Minister Modi is set to visit Uttar Pradesh on December 13 to review the preparations for Mahakumbh 2025, to inaugurate major development works, etc.

“I, Ravindra Kumar Mandad, District Magistrate, in continuation of the instructions given in the Government’s letter dated November 25, 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 organisation of Mahakumbh 2025,” said the official government order.

The order further stated: “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.”

“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.

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.