Mahakumbh Mela 2025 highlights: 10 million devotees take holy dip in Sangam

Mahakumbh Prayagraj highlights: Catch all the news updates on the Mahakumbh Mela here

Mahakumbh Mela 2025: The Maha Kumbh 2025 commenced here amid chants of bhajans and slogans. "Till 9.30 am, around 60 lakh pilgrims had taken dip," the Uttar Pradesh government said. The Sanskrit term kumbh translates to 'pitcher,' and forms the basis for the Kumbh Mela's mythological origins. The sacred Hindu narrative tells of a cosmic struggle between Devas (divine beings) and Asuras (demonic forces) who jointly churned the ocean, known as Samudra Manthan, seeking amrita - the elixir of immortality. When Dhanvantari emerged holding the vessel containing this precious nectar, Jayant, Indra's offspring, seized it and took flight to keep it from the Asuras. As Jayant transported the pitcher, amrita spilled at four different locations: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik-Trimbakeshwar, and Ujjain. These sites subsequently became the venues for the Kumbh Mela celebrations. 

150,000 tents for pilgrims, alongside enhanced sanitation facilities and additional toilets have been arranged by officials. 450,000 new electricity connections have been installed to meet the energy demands of the festival. 

 

Security measures in Prayagraj have been significantly enhanced by the Uttar Pradesh police to protect event participants. The Sangam area is being monitored by 113 submersible drones that can operate at depths of 100 metres - a first-time implementation. The security system also includes tethered drones operating at heights up to 120 metres to observe crowds and assist with emergency situations from above. Entry points are equipped with over 2,700 cameras featuring AI capabilities, including facial recognition and live monitoring functions. Digital security is managed by a dedicated group of 56 cyber specialists, with cyber assistance units established at all police stations throughout Prayagraj.

4:41 PM

Underwater drones on duty as devotees head to Sangam, says UP police

Talking about the Maha Kumbh this year, Uttar Pradesh DGP stated that along with drone surveillance, underwater drones are also being used for security. 

3:35 PM

Special action plan developed by Prayagraj Railways for Makar Sankranti

A special action plan for railway stations has been developed by the Prayagraj Railway Division in advance of Makar Sankranti on January 14. During the day, over 1 crore devotees are anticipated to take a sacred bath at Sangam. The Prayagraj Railway Division has taken a number of steps to control the expected crowd and guarantee a comfortable journey on the auspicious fair of Maha Kumbh 2025. 

3:31 PM

NSG commandos patrol in Prayagraj on occasion of Paush Purnima

2:58 PM

Seven Special trains from Odisha to operate for Maha Kumbh : East Coast Railway CPRO

In preparation for the Maha Kumbh 2025, the Indian Railways has rolled out an extensive plan to facilitate the movement of millions of devotees to Prayagraj. According to East Coast Railway CPRO Ashok Kumar, over 13,000 trains will operate during the event, including 10,000 regular mail express trains and 3,000 additional special services specifically planned for January and February. Among these, Seven special trains have been announced to ensure seamless connectivity for devotees from Odisha.

 

2:49 PM

No information on any unpleasant incident in Prayagraj, says UP DGP

“Till now, around 1 crore devotees have taken a holy dip in Sangam area on the first ‘Amrit snan’ day & start of Mahakumbh 2025. The rush of devotees is continuing at Sangam. Police personnel are present there, drone surveillance is also being done. Underwater drones have also been used for security. Till now, we have received no information about any unpleasant incident taking place in the Prayagraj area and the state. Our all senior officials and the CMO office are monitoring the situation," Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar said.

2:32 PM

VIDEO: Devotees took a holy dip in Triveni Sangam

1:21 PM

Mahakumbh opens with Rs 25,000 crore revenue expectations

While other estimates are a tad conservative, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath last week said, and state government’s officials also estimate, Mahakumbh 2025 could generate revenues of Rs 25,000 crore for the government and lead to a Rs 2 trillion overall economic spinoff.. Read here for more details.

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Spiritual head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram performs havan in Prayagraj

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Mahakumbh Mela 2025 Live: Myth, faith, and astrology behind the celebration

Texts like the Skanda Purana and Rig Veda mention similar festivals, but historians debate whether they refer directly to the Kumbh Mela. Read here for more details. Read here for more details.

 

12:08 PM

All revered saints, devotees are heartily welcomed: UP CM Adityanath

"Greetings on Paush Purnima. The world's largest spiritual and cultural gathering 'Mahakumbh' is starting from today in the holy city of Prayagraj," Adityanath posted on X. "All the revered saints, Kalpvasis and devotees who have come to experience unity in diversity, to meditate and take a holy bath at the confluence of faith and modernity are heartily welcomed. May Maa Ganga fulfil all your wishes," he said.

11:56 AM

Over 10,000 personnel deployed for Maha Kumbh: UP Police

"The official figure will be released soon. We have estimated that approximately 50 lakh people have already taken the holy dip. The arrangements made (by the police) are working fine. Crowd regulations and parking arrangements are working fine as well. The traffic coming from different routes is being diverted and being instructed to park properly. We have the capacity to accommodate enough vehicles for parking. The state and central police forces are prepared to tackle any situation," Deputy Inspector General of Police Vaibhav Krishna said.