Mahakumbh Nagar: Pilgrims began arriving at the Triveni Sangam in the early hours of Wednesday for a holy dip on Mahashivratri, marking the culmination of the six-week-long Maha Kumbh, held once every 12 years and believed to grant ‘moksha’ or salvation.
Mahashivratri commemorates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds special significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a crucial role in the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), which led to the emergence of the Amrit Kumbh (nectar pitcher), the very essence of the Kumbh Mela.
The day draws large crowds of devotees to the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, considered holy by Hindus.
A total of 1.33 crore devotees immersed themselves at in the Sangam and other ghats in the Mela area on Tuesday, pushing the overall footfall during the Maha Kumbh 2025 to more than 64 crore, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.
The total number of visitors to the fair exceeds the population of all countries in the world except India and China, both of which have populations exceeding a billion, it said.
The Maha Kumbh has witnessed six special bathing dates — Paush Purnima January 13, Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya January 29, Basant Panchami February 3, Maghi Purnima February 12, and Mahashivratri February 26 — including three ‘Amrit Snan’.
Pilgrims from across the country have been making their way to Prayagraj to take part in the final ‘snan’.
Many began their journey toward the Sangam while others camped along the ghats, waiting for the opportune moment to immerse themselves in the holy waters. Among them was Dheeraj Kumar (21), a resident of Bihar’s Bodh Gaya, who arrived Tuesday night along with his two sisters on the Mahabodhi Express.
He expressed his devotion, saying, “I have come here along with my two sisters to take the holy dip on Mahashivratri, as it is a very auspicious day.”
Another devotee from Bihar’s Aurangabad Mithlesh Kumar (35) also arrived in Prayagraj on Tuesday night, travelling in an unreserved coach of the same train.
“Faith is what has brought me here. I didn’t have a reserved seat, so I came in a general bogie, but I am glad that I have reached here,” he said, making his way toward the Sangam close to midnight.
Security personnel remained on high alert through the night, closely monitoring the swelling crowds at Mahakumbh Nagar and the ghats.
Railway stations, roads, and entry points to the city witnessed a constant influx of devotees. Law enforcement agencies, including police, paramilitary forces, and disaster response teams, have been deployed in large numbers to manage the massive gathering, ensuring crowd control, security, and logistical coordination.
Surveillance drones, CCTV monitoring with AI-enabled cameras, and command centres have been set up to oversee real-time developments. Medical teams and emergency response units have been stationed at strategic points, with disaster management forces on standby.
Given the scale of the event and the sheer volume of attendees, authorities have enforced a “no vehicle zone” in the mela area and Prayagraj besides implementing strict crowd control measures and logistical support to facilitate a seamless culmination of Maha Kumbh 2025.
Overseeing preparations on the ground, DIG (Kumbh) Vaibhav Krishna said expansive police deployment has been made in the Mela area.
“We are prepared particularly to handle a two-pronged situation ‘? one is the rush of devotees at the ghats including Sangam and the other is crowd management at five main shivalayas in the mela area where devotees will offer sacred waters to Lord Shiva,” Krishna told PTI.
He added that the entire Mela area is “no-vehicle zone” since Tuesday evening and “no VIP treatment” will be accorded to anyone on Wednesday.
“We are expecting the footfall on Wednesday to be higher than it was on Tuesday (1.33 crore),” the DIG added.
To manage the heavy rush of departing pilgrims, the North Eastern Railway (NER) has deployed additional trains and strengthened security at key stations. NER CPRO Pankaj Kumar Singh said 60 trains, including regular, ring rail, long-distance, and special Mela trains, operated until 4 pm on February 25, with 25 more special trains running on Mahashivratri.
Security has been reinforced with 850 RPF personnel and 290 commercial staff at Jhusi station, while Prayagraj Rambagh has 500 RPF personnel and 250 commercial staff on duty.
Mega mics are being used at these stations to guide passengers, and additional rakes have been stationed at key locations to accommodate the post-Mahashivratri rush.
PTI
