Prayagraj, India: In a spectacular display of faith, belief and ancient spiritual traditions, the world is set to witness the largest human gathering on earth in Prayagraj, India where the Maha Kumbh begins from today. The 45 day Maha Kumbh, is the world’s largest peaceful, spiritual, religious gathering, with more than 400 million people set to take the holy dip in the sacred river Ganges this year. The Maha Kumbh Mela, a sacred congregation that unfolds every twelve years, is taking place at the bank of the Triveni Sangan in Prayagraj – where the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati meet, from 13 January onwards till 26 February 2025. In the first two days itself, over 2 million people are set to bathe with the first ‘shahi snan’ (bathing day) being held on Paush Purnima on Monday, January 13.
To ensure safety and security in what is being dubbed as the world’s largest law and order operation, the Government of the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in India has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure safety, comfort and security of the immense waves of devotees and pilgrims coming to the city, with an estimated 10 million having already arrived.
To know what is happening at this ancient celebration of the Divine, we bring to you all the major developments in connection with the Maha Kumbh:
Maha Kumbh 2025
A temporary city has been built on the banks of the river Ganges to accommodate, feed and provide all necessary services to the devotees and pilgrims as they pour in.
The entire Maha Kumbh Mela area has been declared a ‘no vehicle zone’ and traffic diversion plans have been implemented on all the seven routes leading to the Sangam. Apart from this, around 2,751 CCTV cameras including 328 AI-enabled cameras have been placed to monitor security in the Sangam and the tent city. The seven-ring plan has been implemented for the safety of devotees.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday launched a slew of key initiatives to boost Indian Railways readiness for the Maha Kumbh Mela. These include the launch of a 24×7 Kumbh War Room, CCTV cameras on all nearby stations, multilingual communication system, and additional ticket counters, among others. The Indian Railways is running hundreds of special trains to enable devotees and pilgrims from all across India to reach Prayagraj for the Kumbh.
The Government has reduced the price of the helicopter joyride by more than half to Rs 1,296 per person (USD $15). The Tourism and Culture Minister of UP, Jaiveer Singh said the 7-8 minute helicopter ride will begin on January 13. The bookings can be made online through www.upstdc.co.in.
The Uttar Pradesh government has installed more than 50,000 QR codes on electricity poles across the Maha Kumbh Mela area, spanning 25 sectors, enabling pilgrims to access digital maps of the temporary Kumbh city, which has been developed on the banks of the river Ganges to manage the logistics of this massive confluence of humanity. Minister for Urban Development and Energy, AK Sharma said more than one crore (ten million) pilgrims from across the country and abroad have already gathered at the Mela and the ghats for the holy dip at the Sangam. “Over 50,000 QR codes have been installed on electricity poles, which will make it easier for them to determine their location within specific sectors or roads,” he added.
Where Timeless Traditions Meet
The Union Culture Ministry has set up a vibrant cultural space namely ‘Kalagram’ on an area of 4,000 hectares in the Maha Kumbh Mela district to showcase a harmonious blend of the country’s rich cultural traditions and advanced organisational capabilities.
In an unparalleled cultural extravaganza, nearly 15,000 renowned artists will perform at Maha Kumbh at the Kalagram. Seven Sanskriti Aangans will also showcase India’s rich craft traditions and cuisine. Famous Indian singers including Kailash Kher, Shankar Mahadevan, Kavita Krishnamurthy and several other are scheduled to perform in the holy city of Prayagraj during the course of the Maha Kumbh.
Apart from this, the Uttar Pradesh government has made preparations to shower flower petals on pilgrims on all major snan days (bathing days). The first flower petal shower will be done today (Jan 13) as devotees take a holy dip on first shahi snan – Paush Purnima.
Special Radio Channel Kumbhvani launched
UP CM Yogi Adityanath has also launched a special FM channel of All India Radio called Kumbhvani (103.5 MHz), dedicated to Maha Kumbh 2025, which will bring live updates from Prayagraj to the nation and the world, providing important information to devotees. The Radio channel will broadcast the latest happenings at the Mahakumbh to remote villages across the country, where people have not been able to reach kumbh site despite their willingness and deep faith.
A special Central Hospital has also been built in the temporary city, as the Maha Kumbh promises not just spiritual rejuvenation but also unparalleled medical care at little to no costs, for millions of pilgrims arriving from around the globe. With robust planning and advanced technology, the state government has turned this massive spiritual gathering into a beacon of health and safety.
Green Maha Kumbh
In a major turnaround, around 56,000 sq. meters of Dense Forests have been created in Prayagraj over the last two years using the Miyawaki Technique, in preparation for the Maha Kumbh. Several Garbage dumps have been transformed into lush green forests, aiding environmental conservation. The Miyawaki technique creates dense forests with native plants. This unique method is used worldwide for urban afforestation by growing a forest in someone’s backyard.
The Green Mahakumbh in Prayagraj will also bring together over 1,000 environmental champions, with focus on Environmental Protection. Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has organized Swachhata Rath Yatra for Mahakumbh awareness; Street plays and Music band performances are being held to spread Cleanliness messages across the Kumbh area.
Digital Maha Kumbh 2025
In a Confluence of Devotion and Technology, the Mahakumbh will witness an extraordinary blend of spirituality and innovation, bringing together the sacred traditions of Sanatan Dharma with state-of-the-art digital advancements. This iconic festival, has embracing modern technology to enhance the experience for all attendees. From high-tech security measures to digital land allotments and immersive virtual reality experiences, Maha Kumbh 2025 is redefining the way devotees connect with their faith and the event’s rich cultural heritage. With comprehensive preparations made spanning infrastructure, safety, and digital services, the Maha Kumbh is poised to become a model of harmony between tradition and technology.
Incredible India!
The Union Ministry of Tourism has launched major initiatives for the Maha Kumbh to transform as a Global Tourism Hub. An Incredible India Pavilion and dedicated ‘Infoline’ to enhance visitor experience has been set-up. Luxury accommodations, tour packages, and enhanced connectivity for visitors have been ensured. Alliance Air has partnered with the Tourism Ministry to boost air connectivity for Maha Kumbh and media specialists and influencers have been called in to capture the grandeur of Maha Kumbh with exclusive photoshoots and videos.
Redefining Cleanliness at the Kumbh
Special cleanliness measures under the Namami Gange Mission have been put into place to redefine cleanliness at Mahakumbh 2025. Over 28,000 toilets have been installed for eco-friendly sanitation, besides 20,000 community urinals and 37.75 lakh liner bags are available to enhance cleanliness and comfort for devotees.
A Kumbh for Everyone
In a world marked by the hustle of modernity, few events hold the power to bring millions together in pursuit of something greater than themselves. The Kumbh Mela is the mega event of the world.
It is the world’s largest peaceful gathering, drawing millions of pilgrims for a ritual bath in holy rivers. This bath symbolises spiritual cleansing and renewal. It takes place four times every 12 years, rotating between Haridwar on the Ganges, Ujjain on the Shipra, Nashik on the Godavari, and Prayagraj, where the Ganges, Yamuna, and Sarasvati meet.
As India and the world heads to the Maha Kumbh, when are you going for your holy dip?
 being held on Paush Purnima on Monday, January 13.){kind=link}