The Maha Kumbh will be held from January 13 to February 26 and more than 400 million people are expected to visit Prayagraj to take a holy dip at Sangam
By: India Weekly
THE MAHA KUMBH MELA commenced at Sangam – the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers – on Monday (13) at Prayagraj district in Uttar Pradesh with pilgrims thronging to the venue.
The Maha Kumbh will be held from January 13 to February 26 and more than 400 million people are expected to visit Prayagraj to take a holy dip at the confluence of three sacred rivers.
“So far, more than 600,000 people have taken a dip,” Maha Kumbh Mela officer Vijay Kiran Anand told PTI.
Speaking about the significance of ‘Paush Purnima’, Ashutosh Varshney, the convenor of Prayagraj-based NGO Ram Naam Bank, said the occasion occurs on the 15th day of ‘Shukla Paksh’ in the Hindu calendar month of ‘Paush’.
It also marks the initiation of ‘Kalpvasa’, a period of intense spiritual practice and devotion observed by pilgrims during the Maha Kumbh Mela, he added.
The holy city of Prayagraj is now welcoming saints, seers, pilgrims, devotees and citizens from different walks of life.
Nearly 5 million devotees took a dip at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers in Mahakumbh Nagar on Sunday, a day ahead of the ‘Paush Purnima’, the authorities said.
Earlier on Saturday, 3.3 million devotees visited the Mela to bathe in the Sangam, Director Information Shishir said, adding over 85 lakh people had bathed in the river in the past two days.
Boost to economy
Boost to economy
Maha Kumbh 2025 is projected to generate up to ₹2 trillion (£19.03bn) in economic growth for Uttar Pradesh, if each of estimated 400 million pilgrims spend around ₹5,000.
According to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the food and beverage sector, including packaged foods, water, biscuits, juices, and meals, is estimated to add ₹200 billion (£1.90bn) to the overall trade.
The Traders’ body also said that religious items and offerings, such as oil, lamps, Ganga water, idols, incense sticks, and religious books, are another major area of economic activity, contributing an estimated ₹200 billion.
The festival has its roots in a Hindu tradition that says the god Vishnu wrested a golden pitcher 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 held once every 12 years in this cycle has the prefix ‘maha’ (great) as it is considered more auspicious due to its timing and attracts the largest gathering.
The Kumbhs are 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. (Agencies)