Hundreds of thousands of devotees gathered at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj early on Wednesday for the final holy dip of the Maha Kumbh Mela on the occasion of Mahashivratri, as the six-week-long religious congregation is set to conclude today.
The Sanskrit word kumbh means pitcher, or pot. The story goes that when Devas (gods) and Asuras (loosely translated as demons) churned the ocean, Dhanvantri emerged carrying a pitcher of amrita, or the elixir of immortality. To make sure the Asuras don’t get it, Indra’s son, Jayant, ran off with the pot. The Sun, his son Shani, Brihaspati (the planet Jupiter), and the Moon went along to protect him and the pot.
As Jayant ran, the amrita spilt at four spots: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik-Trimbakeshwar. He ran for 12 days, and as one day of the Devas is equal to one year of humans, Kumbh Mela is celebrated at these locations every 12 years, based on the relative positions of the Sun, the Moon, and Jupiter.
Prayagraj and Haridwar also hold the Ardh-Kumbh (ardh means half), every six years. The festival held after 12 years is called the Poorna Kumbh, or the Maha Kumbh.
All four places are located on the banks of rivers — Haridwar has the Ganga, Prayagraj is the sangam or meeting point of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, Ujjain has the Kshipra, and Nashik-Trimbakeshwar the Godavari.
It is believed that taking a dip in these rivers during Kumbh, amid the specific alignment of the heavenly bodies, washes away one’s sins and accrues punya (spiritual merit). Kumbh Melas are also the venue where Sadhus and other holy men gather — the sadhu akhadaas attracting a lot of curiosity — and regular people can meet them and learn from them.
“While the importance of the Ganga in Hindu religion is well-known, the Kshipra is believed to have emerged from the heart of Vishnu in his Varah (boar) avatar. The Godavari is often called the Ganga of Dakshin (south),” Dr Dipakbhai Jyotishacharya, who runs the Parashar Jyotishalaya in Gujarat’s Vapi, told Exponews.
This depends on astrological calculations. Another reason for the 12-year gap in Kumbh Melas is explained by the fact that Jupiter takes 12 years to complete on revolution around the Sun.
According to the Kumbh Mela website, when Jupiter is in Aquarius or Kumbh rashi (whose symbol is the water bearer), and Sun and Moon in Aries and Sagittarius respectively, Kumbh is held at Haridwar.
When the Jupiter is in Taurus, and the Sun and Moon are in Capricorn or Makar (thus, Makar Sankranti is also in this period) the Kumbh is held at Prayag.
When Jupiter is in Leo or Simha, and the Sun and Moon in Cancer, the Kumbh is held at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar, which is why they are also called the Simhastha Kumbh.Mahashivratri marks the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds profound significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela, held once every 12 years and believed to grant ‘moksha’ to the devotees. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a pivotal 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 occasion draws massive crowds of devotees to the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, revered as a holy site by Hindus. Over one crore devotees are expected to throng Sangam on Wednesday.
A large number of devotees gathered on the banks of the Sangam around midnight, camped, and patiently waited to take the dip at ‘Brahma Muhurt’. Many of them performed the bathing rituals much before the appointed time.
The Maha Kumbh has witnessed six special bathing dates–Paush Purnima (January 13), Makar Sankranti (January 14), Mauni Amavasya (January 29), Basant Panchami (February 3), Maghi Purnima (February 12), and Mahashivratri (February 26)–including three ‘Amrit Snan’.
The overall footfall for the Maha Kumbh 2025 beyond 66 crore, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.
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, news agency PTI reported.
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.
