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The Maha Kumbh Mela will bring more than 40 crore people to Prayagraj over a period of six weeks from Monday, making it the largest gathering of humanity in the world.
What Is It?
The Kumbh Mela is held every three years in four cities on the banks of sacred rivers across India. The one held once every 12 years in this cycle has the prefix 'maha' (great) as it is considered more auspicious due to its timing and draws the largest gathering.
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Steve Jobs' Wife Laurene Powell Offers Prayers At UP Temple Ahead Of Maha Kumbh VisitDevout Hindus believe taking a dip in the sacred rivers absolves people of sins, and during the Kumbh Mela, it also brings salvation from the cycle of life and death.
title="A priest performs evening prayers ahead of the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj" />A priest performs evening prayers ahead of the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj
How It Started
The Kumbh Mela traces its origins to the Hindu text Rigveda and the word 'kumbh' refers to a pitcher containing the elixir of immortality which emerged during a divine event called the 'Sagar Manthan' or churning of the cosmic ocean.
A celestial battle over this elixir took place over 12 divine days, equivalent to 12 human years. Drops of the nectar fell at four places - Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain - which became the venues of the Kumbh.
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Meet Chai Wale Baba, Who Offers Free IAS Coaching Via WhatsAppAt the Kumbhs, devotees belonging to different Hindu sects, or Akharas, take part in grand processions and the 'Shahi Snaan' or royal bath when they take a dip in the sacred river.
The grand spectacle attracts millions of visitors who come not just to partake in the ritual, but also to see thousands of saints and hermits, often clad in their traditional saffron attire, take a dip in near-freezing temperatures.
title="Pilgrims carrying their belongings arrive at Sangam" />Pilgrims carrying their belongings arrive at Sangam
Who Will Attend?
Officials in Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad, are expecting over 40 crore, or 400 million, people to swarm the large, temporary city created at the point where the Ganga and Yamuna rivers meet the Saraswati, a mythical river.
Attendees include saints, or sadhus, who follow a strict path of spiritual discipline and hermits who leave their secluded lives and visit civilization only during the Kumbh Mela.
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Maha Kumbh 2025: Meet Rabri Baba Who Serves 'Sweet Blessings' To DevoteesThe fascination with the Kumbh is not limited to India alone. In the past, celebrities such as actor Richard Gere, movie director David Lynch and Tibetan Buddhist leader Dalai Lama have attended the event.
In 2017, the Kumbh Mela was included in UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
title="Sadhu take part in a religious procession ahead of Maha Kumbh" />Sadhu take part in a religious procession ahead of Maha Kumbh
How Is It Being Organised
Given its gigantic size, organising the Maha Kumbh Mela is a mammoth task for authorities, one that gets bigger every time. Authorities have set up 150,000 tents to accommodate the pilgrims, whose number is expected to be around three times the population of Russia.
Authorities also have a target to provide 450,000 new electricity connections, with more than half of these already allotted.
Around 5,000 workers are involved as the Kumbh is expected to consume power worth nearly Rs 30 crore ($3.5 million) - more than what 100,000 urban apartments in the region drain in a month on average.
Additional toilets have been set up and sanitation facilities enhanced to provide better infrastructure.
Drones and surveillance cameras are being deployed to ensure the safety of visitors. Stampedes have been a common occurrence at the Maha Kumbh in the past, with 36 pilgrims killed in 2013.