Prayagraj Mahakumb Mela: An opportunity for promoting cross-border religious tourism

Prayagraj (India), Jan 23: The world-famous Maha Kumbh Mela (fair) is currently taking place in Prayagraj—the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers.

Over 10 million people had taken a holy dip on the first day of the fair, which is held every 12 years in Prayagraj of India, according to the Uttar Pradesh Department of Tourism. In the 45-day August religious gathering that began last January 14, the Hindu devotees thronged to take a bath at the meeting point of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the Saraswati rivers—considered the sacred rivers in India.

The department has estimated that 450 million pilgrims will visit the fair. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from various countries, including India and Nepal, come to take a dip in the holy land of Hindus. Director General of Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, Isha Priya, said that the Maha Kumbh Mela, which took place after 144 years, has attached special significance and urged everyone to enjoy the fair.

She expressed the belief that the religious jamboree would be useful for the promotion of cross-border religious tourism. Necessary security arrangements have been put in place for the pilgrims coming to take a bath in the fair. More than 25,000 security personnel have been deployed in the surrounding area of the fair.

As many as 100,000 temporary tent houses have been constructed at the confluence of the three rivers on the right and left banks for the pilgrims. Bright lights in the tent house area during the night have further enhanced the beauty of the fair. There are temporary camps and health camps for accommodation at the fair. More than 25,000 CCTV cameras have been installed under the river water for safety reasons.

According to Indian media reports, 7,000-plus buses have been arranged from Prayagraj Airport to take devotees to the fair. Arrangements for 550 shuttle buses, 13,000-plus rickshaws, trains, and special trains have been made. Similarly, 43 temporary hospitals with 6,000 beds have been set up in the fair area. Arrangements have been made for road ambulances along with air ambulances.

Likewise, arrangements have also been made to observe the fair by helicopter. According to Indian news agencies, more than 100 million people have taken a holy bath in the Maha Kumbh Mela so far. Around 10 million devotees visit Mahakumbh every day. It is believed that taking a holy bath at the confluence of sacred rivers will absolve sins and cleanse the soul.

According to the Ministry of Culture of India, science and technology have also been fully devised in the fair. Prayagraj Mahakumbh is set as an extraordinary blend of spirituality and innovation. From high-tech security measures embracing modern technology to digital land ‘allotments’ and ‘immersive virtual’ reality experiences, Mahakubh-2025 has become a model of reconciliation between tradition and technology with a comprehensive way of providing infrastructure, security, and digital services to devotees.

Special cybersecurity arrangements have been launched for the safety of devotees. The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to use every platform, including print, digital, and social media. Platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram, as well as AI. Mobile cyber teams have also been deployed for a massive public awareness campaign.

Additional Strategic Officer of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department Akash Deep said that the Prayagraj grand fair has set a historical record, and it would help promote religious tourism. President of Vanarasi Tourism Gilt, Santosh Kumar Singh urged the Hindu Nepali tourists to participate in the fair taking place after a long hiatus. Agra Travel Agents Association General Secretary Kaushlendra Singh said the fair would help promote regional religious tourism. It is customary to take a royal bath on Shri Panchami, Shivaratri, and Purnima.

According to the organizers, due to the royal dip on that day, there will be some inconvenience for the general devotees for some time. On other days, various bathing sites have been constructed so that the devotees can take a dip in the fair easily, while motorboats and boats are available in sufficient quantity to reach the site. The history of Mahakumbh is long.

According to literature, the first Maha Kumbh Mela is believed to have been organized in Satyayuga, which was initiated by Shankaracharya. The tradition of Kumbha, as experts said, is thousands of years old. A significant number of pilgrims from Nepal are also going to the Maha Kumbh fair. It is believed that during the churning of the sea, the gods and demons were fighting to get nectar. In the meantime, Jayanta, son of Lord Indra, ran away with the nectar pot, after which the demons also followed him to take the Kalash.

During this time there was a terrible war between the demons and the gods. When Jayanta ran away with the Amrit Kalash, its few drops fell in four places, where the Mahakumbh is now being organized. Since then, Kumbh Mela has been held in Prayagraj, Ujjain, Nashik, and Haridwar every 12 years. —