Simhastha Kumbh Mela, the largest congregation of faith in the world, began on Tuesday with the traditional ceremony of hoisting of flags and thousands of people taking a holy dip in Kushawart and Ramkund in Godavari river in the two towns.
Five crore devotees took part in the Kumbh mela on the banks of pious Shipra river this year.
All you wanted to know about the Kumbh Mela
A camp set up at Kumbh Mela ground for Asaram Bapu's discourse was vandalised while several outfits have opposed the proposed visit of the self-styled godman, who has drawn flak for his remarks on the Delhi gang rape victim, at the religious congregation.
The Naga Sadhus at the Kumbh Mela happen to be the most low-profile and reclusive bunch of saints at the religious gathering.
Social distancing norms were violated openly by the seers when they and their followers descended the steps at Har ki Pairi to wade into the river.
To conserve the environment, the Akhara Council has decided to put a ban on the use of plastic items and loudspeakers at the venue of the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Nashik.
This is not just crowd management; this is history in the making, Kumar said in a statement, adding that the sheer scale of this spiritual gathering has pushed has pushed Prayagraj's infrastructure beyond its maximum capacity, making delays in traffic movement inevitable.
Mary Kom, Suresh Raina, Saina Nehwal, Anil Kumble, Deepa Malik and gymnast Dipa Karmakar have taken a dip in the Sangam.
Milk booths by Amul and Mother Dairy, a Kumbh phone by Reliance Jio, Dabur's toothpaste dispensers are among the many initiatives by brands steadying for a stint on haloed ground.
The Uttar Pradesh government's oft-repeated claims about the success of the 2013 Kumbh Mela have fallen flat, with the Comptroller and Auditor General pointing out various failures and pitfalls in the mega event.
A bonfire lit by some devotees to beat the cold could have spread to bushes at the foot of the Kailash hill, atop which several VIPs, sadhus and sants were staying in tents.
Braving scorching heat, a multitude of sadhus along with their disciples chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' took 'shahi snan' (royal bath) at Ramghat in Shipra river in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Friday.
On Friday, January 17, 2025, a havan was performed for brave martyrs during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
Sadhus of various akhadas of the Vaishnava sect reached Ramkund in a royal procession carrying golden idols of deities, traditional flags and spears with silver rods.
Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13, is the world's largest spiritual and cultural gathering, attracting devotees from across the globe. It will continue until Mahashivratri on February 26.
Preparations for the Maha Kumbh are in full swing.
Rediff.com takes a look at some stunning pictures of the previous Kumbh Mela festivities.
Kalpwasis are devout Hindus who spend the month of Magh -- the 11th month on the Hindu calendar -- at the Sangam in Prayagraj, listening to sermons, singing bhajans and observing rituals of their faith.
Sadhus from the Panch Dashnam Juna Akhara take part in a Nagar Pravesh procession ahead of the Kumbh Mela 2025, in Prayagraj on Sunday, November 3, 2024.
Lost siblings in the Kumbh Mela were once a recurrent theme in Hindi films, but in these modern times, mobile phones are coming to the rescue of many who get separated from friends or families in the world's largest religious gathering. Almost 10 times a minute, the public address system at Hardiwar sets cracking about Raj from Jammu or Koki from Haryana, who are lost or have lost someone close in the sea of humanity.But in modern times, technology helps pilgrims keep track.
An air ambulance ofIndian Air Force successfully evacuated eight persons, injured in a fire at Kumbh Mela, for emergency medical attention in the national capital.
Prayagraj is a must-visit place in 2025, but in January and February you can't miss the Maha Kumbh, a spectacular event like no other.
The Maharashtra Cabinet Infrastructure Committee has approved a 35-km Metro project to connect the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai international airports at a cost of over Rs 22,000 crore.
'It was as if the sacred waters were washing away not just my sins but also my doubts and burdens,' says Aayushi Agarwal.
MC Mary Kom on Sunday expressed happiness as she was able to participate in the Maha Kumbh.
Film folk visited the Maha Kumbh Mela and take special blessings.
'You don't realise your life has changed in just three days.' 'It's when you come back to the city that it starts hitting you but you now have the power to manage the challenges Life throws at you.'
From religious gatherings to public events, 2025 witnessed a series of stampedes and crowd-related incidents that exposed the fragile line between mass participation and human tragedy, leaving behind loss, questions, and urgent lessons on crowd safety.
'If hundreds of VIPs are allowed to roam with passes and roads blocked for their movement, then that will cause trouble for the public and disrupt the Mela.'
On Wednesday, January 1, 2025, seers of the Sri Panchayati Atal Akhada made a first 'Royal Entry' -- also called Chavni Pravesh -- with a religious procession for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, at the Sangam in Prayagraj.
Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze within 10 minutes and no casualties were reported.
Besides the not-so-hidden unease between Modi and Adityanath, Modi chose to address the Lok Sabha to ensure that he could personally claim all the kudos, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
After visiting the Maha Kumbh Mela, why not travel a little further and visit nearby towns of interest? There are loads of places, 100 odd km from Allahabad that have historical significance or are spiritual sites or places of rich cultural heritage. Mayur Sanap/Rediff.com acquaints you with 7.
After Vijay Deverakonda, Nimrat Kaur visits the Maha Kumbh Mela and takes a dip in the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj.
The move drew criticism from the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad. Its president Mahant Ravindra Puri said that Mulayam Singh Yadav had always been "anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatan".
... resulting in a Rs 2 trillion economic spinoff.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati addresses sexual abuse allegations, asserting his innocence and claiming the charges are fabricated. An FIR was lodged against him and his disciple following a court order.
A fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, on Sunday, engulfing 18 tents in Sector 19. The blaze, which started around 4 pm, was caused by an LPG cylinder explosion. No casualties were reported, and the fire was brought under control within an hour. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was in Prayagraj to review preparations ahead of Mauni Amawasya, visited the site and instructed authorities to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Through history, the Mela has held different meanings for ascetics, the colonised, colonisers, and tourists, but all have been moved by its grandeur points out Atanu Biswas.
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