Telecom service providers and the Maha Kumbh Mela administration are on their toes to ensure smooth connectivity at the grand event set to witness record teledensity.
Due to the pandemic, this year the Kumbh Mela will be held for 48 days in Haridwar instead of three-and-a-half months.
Two persons were killed in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Sunday as three crore pilgrims converged for a holy dip at Sangam on the auspicious occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya'.
A Haridwar-based community welfare organisation, Divya Prem Seva Mission, will host a series of seven lectures on diverse themes, including one on the contentious subject of simultaneous polls, at its camp at the Maha Kumbh site in Prayagraj. The lecture series, starting on January 12, will also cover topics like Swami Vivekananda's philosophy, India's glorious past, global terrorism, gender equality, and the challenges of privacy and safety on social media. The organization has been involved in philanthropic activities for 29 years and is raising awareness about the discrimination faced by people with leprosy.
Sharat Pradhan reports on how the Maha Kumbh at Allahabad is fast turning into a political playground
The annual Magh Kumbh Mela 2026 is underway at Prayagraj from January 3 to February 15.
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.
'It was as if the sacred waters were washing away not just my sins but also my doubts and burdens,' says Aayushi Agarwal.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked his cabinet colleagues not to visit Haridwar during the Maha Kumbh mela. This prime minister's request was based on a plea from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhrial that VVIP visits during the mela should be avoided as the district administration found it difficult to make protocol arrangements on those days.
The Maha Kumbh witnessed its third grand 'Amrit Snan' on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami, drawing hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the globe, all seeking spiritual liberation through the sacred dip, which was going on smoothly, officials said.
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.
The Indian government has stated that the water in the Ganga river at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj was fit for bathing during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh, citing a new report from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The report, however, contradicts an earlier CPCB report that found high faecal coliform levels at several locations in Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh. The government also highlighted measures taken to ensure water quality during the event, including the installation of sewage treatment plants and the use of advanced oxidation techniques to treat wastewater.
Prayagraj is transforming into a massive temporary city to host the Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious gathering, expected to draw over 40 crore pilgrims. The preparations include extensive infrastructure development, including 160,000 tents, 150,000 toilets, and a 1,250-km pipeline network. The event, starting on January 13, will culminate on February 26, bringing together millions of devotees for the holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.
'It would have been impossible for any other country to manage such a vast crowd or accommodate the visit of so many devotees with such remarkable arrangements,' says Navin Mendon.
Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country in recent years.
Seers from various 'akharas' took the first 'Amrit Snan' at the Maha Kumbh on Makar Sankranti on Tuesday as an unbroken stream of people converged at the Triveni Sangam on the occasion with around 3.5 crore devotees taking a dip.
The lack of proper coordination and disaster management plan on the part of railways resulted in the stampede at Allahabad station during last year's Maha Kumbh Mela in which 37 persons were killed, the Comptroller and Auditor General has said.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Sunday said that a Comptroller Auditor General inquiry should be conducted into expenditure made during Maha Kumbh Mela at Allahabad.
Since the beginning of the Maha Kumbh last month, many influencers, models and actors have had their brief moment in the sun of virality: model-turned-sadhvi Harsha Richaria, garland seller Mona Lisa, 'IIT baba' Abhay Singh and actor Mamata Kulkarni to name a few.
The Maha Kumbh, billed as the world's largest gathering, concluded on Wednesday after 45 days, with lakhs of devotees taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Despite a stampede that killed at least 30 people, millions continued to visit the Kumbh, seeking salvation through the ritual bath. The event saw a mix of faith, tradition, and technology, drawing pilgrims and tourists from across the globe.
What is particularly worrying is that the vast majority will not have access to testing or even to proper treatment. These cases could have been avoided if the government had shown the political will to do so, observes Rashme Sehgal.
Rediff.com takes a look at some stunning pictures of the previous Kumbh Mela festivities.
The Cabinet meeting and the holy dip comes on a day that marks the first anniversary of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
On the eve of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's lecture on the so-called success of the Maha Kumbh Mela to a gathering at Harvard, Avikal Somvanshi visits the Sangam at Allahabad to photograph the disturbing aftermath of the mela. Along with Bharat Lal Seth, he suggests a presentation for the CM.
Rediff.com takes a look at the grand preparations ahead of the mega festival, just 16 days away, as pilgrims and god-men have already started congregating at the holy site.
Hundreds of Naga Sadhus took a dip in the Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
At least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured in a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early on Wednesday as crores of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of one of the most auspicious days of Mauni Amavasya, officials said.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has removed all references to the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate from its class 7 textbooks. The new textbooks, released this week, have been designed in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which emphasize incorporating Indian traditions, philosophies, knowledge systems, and local context into school education. The textbooks now include new chapters on ancient Indian dynasties, sacred geography, and government initiatives like Make in India and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. The revamp has been met with criticism from opposition parties who equate it with "saffronisation."
The fire mishap took place on a day when lakhs of devotees have gathered for the 'Shahi Snan' on the occasion of Basant Panchami.
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 cost of flying to Prayagraj has gone up six times due to the Kumbh Mela.'
On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brajesh Pathak and other cabinet ministers took a dip in the Triveni Sangam at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
Devotees gathered to take a dip at the Triveni Sangam on the occasion of the first Amrit Snan during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj.
A stunning book on the Kumbh. And a recipe.
A fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh congregation in Allahabad on Friday, injuring at least 19 people, some of them seriously, and gutting a couple of pandals, officials said.
Neither Mohammed Shami nor Mohammed Kaif traveled to the Maha Kumbh Mela.
On Monday, February 24, 2025, women led the Ganga Aarti at the Triveni Sangam, sending a strong message about inclusivity.
Tripathi, with tattoos on her hands, is one of the most influential figures in the LGBT community in India.
The Juna Akhara, one of the largest sects of seers in the country, announced the end of its participation in the Kumbh Mela on Saturday, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal that participation in the ongoing gathering in Haridwar be kept symbolic in view of the surge in coronavirus cases.
A breach in an embankment along the Ganga caused by recent heavy rainfall which threatened to inundate a large area and affect Maha Kumbh pilgrims in Allahabad, has been plugged by a 60-member team of Army's Red Eagle Division who worked through the night averting a disaster.
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