The Tremendous Devotional Assemblage in Human History, Maha Kumbh 2025, Prayagraj
Introduction
A few days back, on February 26, 2025, on the beautiful occasion of Maha Shivratri, Mahakumbh ended with incredible magnificence, holiness and divine celebration.
This enormous festival of faith in India united the people beyond their caste, religion and country. A massive count of more than 65 crore devotees visited the Maha Kumbh 2025 in 45 days.
These estimated numbers were confirmed by the Uttar Pradesh Government and many reputed news websites, such as Hindustan Times, Jagran Josh, News 18, The Times of India, Economics Times, etc. Mahakumbh was the only devotional event in which a record-breaking human assemblage happened in history.
According to astrological events, occasions like Mahakumbh occur every 144 years. It is the most pristine and splendid occasion in the Sanatan religion, and this event is based on the positions of the Sun, Moon and planet Jupiter.
Astrological Events and The Incident of Satyug Behind Mahakumbh Mela
As we all know, Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun. It revolves around the Sun and completes its one cycle every 11.86 Earth years, approximately 12 years. In simple words, it is 4,330.6 Earth days.
In Sanatan scriptures, the planet Jupiter, also known as Brihaspati, resembles the Guru(teacher). Brihaspati is the Guru of Devtas(deities) and son of God Sun.
An ideal teacher consistently guides people about righteousness and protects them from danger and sinful acts. There is a Sanskrit verse for Gurus(teachers), "गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः which means the Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, the Guru is Shiva. These three are the most powerful deities of the universe and resemble the creator, preserver and destroyer, respectively.
In the Sanatan religion, the place of the Guru is above all.
According to the Sanatan holy scriptures, all planets are ruled by some deities. And Brihaspati protects them all as a Guru.
NASA also confirmed that Jupiter is the planet that protects Earth and other planets from dreadful destruction by attracting all heavy asteroids and comets with their strong gravitational pull. Do you still think it is a coincidence?
However, Jupiter's position plays a vital role in the Maha Kumbh occasion. Its alignment with the Sun and Moon creates a purified spiritual energy that can be experienced on holy sites by bathing in the pure water of goddess rivers, including Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. Jupiter's position creates different events that generate different Kumbh Melas.
The Kumbh Mela is known as Mahakumbh when the planet Jupiter completes 12 cycles, which means 144 Earth years.
The Sanatan religion believes that during these astrological events, the water of sacred rivers becomes the holiest Nectar.
The incident happened in the Satyug Era.
The story of Samudra Manthan happened in the Satyug, strong this belief. You can read these tales in the holy scriptures Vishnu Purana and Shrimad Bhagavatam.
I've described the story of Samudra Manthan in my blog, "Deepavali," if you want to learn more, you can visit the link.
Okay, according to Vishnu Purana, when Gods(Devtas) and Demons(Asurs) were churning the Mandara Parvat(mountain) to obtain the Nectar, thirteen holy personalities came during the churning. God Dhanvantri was one of them. He emerged with a pot of Nectar(Amrit).
Devtas and Asuras always remained against each other and fought to prove their dominance and rule. Devtas never wanted to share those drops of Amrit with Asuras. To save the pot from demons, God Jayant, the son of the king of Gods, Indra, grabbed that pot and ran from demons. The diety Sun, his son God Shani and Brihaspati, and the Moon joined God Jayant to protect the pot.
As Jayant ran, a few drops of Nectar fell at four spots: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik-Trimbakeshwar. It is a fact that all these four locations are on the bank of rivers. River Ganga flows in Haridwar. Sangam is the meeting point of Goddess rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati in Prayagraj. Shipra River is present in Ujjain, and Godavari's water is the life of many species in Nashik-Trimbakeshwar.
Because some Nectar(Amrit) fell on these pristine rivers, their water became the purest element. After that, a ritual evolved to dip themselves in these sacred locations during the Kumbh event. Kumbh is a Sanskrit word that means 'Pitcher.' The event is known as Kumbh Mela because God Jayant held the pitcher. After adding Nector to their waves, the goddess Rivers purified and cleansed the soul of every sin and gave redemption.
As per the scriptures, God Jayant ran for 12 days.
If we conclude the calculations according to the scriptures, it is mentioned that one day of Gods(Devtas) is the one year of humans.
2 Ayanas (6-month periods) = 1 human year or 1 day of the deities.
Therefore, Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 12 years and represents the 12 days of Gods based on astrological events.
It is scripted that divine time moves much slower than human time. The modern reality is also equivalent to the spiritual fact that every planet revolves around the Sun and maintains its unique elliptical orbit, speed, eccentricity, gravitational force, Perihelion, Aphelion and characteristics.
Sanatan scriptures are very vast, holding science and mathematics. Sound interesting?
Types of Kumbh Melas
The various Kumbh Melas happen in distinct time intervals according to astrological calculations and are famous by many names. They are based on the relative positions of the Sun, the Moon, and the planet Jupiter. The four preferred locations are concluded by their positions.
- Ardh Kumbh Mela occurs every six years in Haridwar, Uttarakhand and Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
- Purn Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 12 years in different cities in India, such as Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik, and Ujjain, located in multiple states, including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
- Mahakumbh Mela is glorified every 144 years in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. It is a rare spiritual event in humanity.
The location of this tremendous human assemblage depends on the zodiac positions of Jupiter, the Sun, and the Moon.
The Kumbh Mela website states that when Jupiter is in Aquarius(Kumbh Rashi), the Sun and the Moon enter Aries(Mesh) and Sagittarius(Dhanu). Then, Kumbh is held at Haridwar.
When Jupiter enters Taurus(Vrishabh) and the Sun and Moon are in Capricorn(Makar Rashi), the Kumbh is celebrated at Prayagraj. The same day India celebrates Makar Sankranti on 14 January.
Also, when Jupiter is in Leo(Singh), and the Sun and Moon are in Cancer(Kark), the Kumbh Mela is organised at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar.
Celebration and Rituals
A massive devotional Maha Kumbh comes with many rituals, including Shahi Snan, a sacred dip in the holy water of goddess rivers. The goddess river cleanses all the wickedness and negativity of the human soul and showers their blessings.
Kirtan and Bhajan are other holy ritual where devotees sing prayers and chant mantras and bhajans, filling the atmosphere with spiritual energy and devotion. The vibrations of these pure words resonate everywhere in Maha Kumbh and purify the atmosphere with the essence of God.
Sanatan spiritual talks are a ritual followed by many spiritual leaders who talk and help people by offering insight into God and spirituality. On Mahakumbh 2025, many holy scriptures, like the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Shrimad Bhagavatam, and various Puranas, were distributed at very low prices, ranging from ₹20 to ₹30.
Preparing Shivirs(tents) and distributing Prasad(offerings) is a ritual where multiple sweets and Satvik meals are distributed to devotees. Also, the facility of tents is conducted for rest. Around 1200 Shivirs(tents) were made for Maha Kumbh 2025 for rest. The aim of this ritual is that no devotee could leave the place with an empty stomach and without the offerings of God. So, this holy Prasad circulates free of cost.
The best part of this sacred event is that Sadhus, Saints, Akhadaas, and any people from any country or religion can experience this auspicious occasion and its divinity. The most popular Sadhus are Naga Sadhus here. They become the centre of attraction in the Kumbh Mela. Naga Sadhus are regarded as the first saviour of Sanatan Dharma. They live an austere life with some basic needs. They dislike stardom, opulence, and attraction to the material world. They spend their lives in a cloth and cover their body with Ash. Their hairs are matted, and they are the virtuoso of handling different armours. Naga Sadhus gains immense knowledge of scriptures and never harms anyone without a purpose.
Another attraction of the Kumbh Melas are Akhadaas(Arena). Many Akhadaas also take part in this precious festival. These pure Sanatanis are the saviours of Sanatan dharma, and their rules may vary with their beliefs and perceptions. Akhadaas follow the scripture's rules strictly and never allow anyone to break their laws to live an austere and healthy life. They follow simple bhagwa(orange) clothes, balanced Satvik(meals without onion and garlic) or vegetarian food, and detachment from the world. Every Akhadaa comes to Shahi Snan during their auspicious period during Mahakumbh.
As per holy Sanatan scriptures, four days of Shahi Snan(royal bath) occurred during the Mahakumbh 2025:
- Paush Purnima. The first sacred Shahi Snan happened on January 13, 2025. It was the day when Maha Kumbh began. Paush Purnima celebrates when the first full Moon is visible in Paush(January). On this day, the Sanatan religion worships the God Sun and deity Moon and performs prayers and rituals to show gratitude for their existence. Many Sadhus, Akhadaas, and people joined this beautiful event in Mahakumbh. Even the data shared by the Economic Times revealed that around 1.3 crore devotees dipped in the water on the first day of Mahakumbh 2025.
- Makar Sankranti was the second holy event when Shahi Snan occurred on January 14, 2025. Makar Sankranti has great significance in Hinduism. It is the day that celebrates when light overshadows the darkness. And it is scientifically proven that on this beautiful day, the Sun transitions from the southern to the northern hemisphere. The time is the end of winter and the start of longer days. During this sacred event, the Santan religion shows gratitude towards nature, the Sun God and Mother Earth. Bathing in holy rivers and lakes is the ritual of this festival. It is a crucial event in the Sanatan religion, so an immense crowd gathered during the second day of Maha Kumbh, and the Hindustan Times also published that around 3.5 crore devotees attended this Shahi Snan.
- Mauni Amavasya was the third holy Shahi Snan celebrated on January 29, 2025. During this event, the Moon completely disappears respective to the Earth. A Hindu festival celebrates the day as a new moon in Magha(February). On these religious occasions, bathing in Goddess rivers cleanses the soul and entire body from all sinful acts and thoughts. 'Mauni' means 'silence.' People also practice silence to learn self-discipline, seek forgiveness and honour ancestors. The Government website, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav published that around 8 crore devotees were gathered during this auspicious day in Maha Kumbh 2025.
- Basant Panchmi was celebrated on February 3, 2025, and the last Shahi Snan occurred during this sacred festival. This occasion is celebrated because the Goddess Saraswati took birth on this day. She is a goddess of wisdom, singing, art and all the purification. Sanatan religion worships the Goddess Saraswati for knowledge and excellence in the artistic field. Her birthday is the arrival of spring. It is the celebration of the new beginning of nature, colours and changes in the atmosphere. It is an auspicious day in the Sanatan religion and about 1 crore devotees had a dip in Mahakumbh during this festival.
Technology and AI used in Maha Kumbh 2025
We all witnessed the tremendous assemblage of devotion in Prayagraj, Mahakumbh 2025. Whenever a grand occasion is organized, security, facilities, and crowd management become crucial for effective handling. All safety measures come prior. So, to avoid mobbing, nuisance, dispute, or terrorist activities, the Uttar Pradesh police and the Ministry of Science and Technology collaborated to monitor the whole scenario of Mahakumbh by using multiple technologies and AI.
Technologies
Underwater Drones were used to monitor rivers' water and prevent contamination.
Tethered Drones for crowd management.
Mobile apps, including the "Mahakumbh Mela 2025" app, were developed for location sharing. Additionally, multilingual chatbots were available for assistance.
RFID wristbands were used in the immense crowd of Mahakumbh. This technology stores emergency contacts and medical records. Each devotee received an RFID wristband that allows authorities and relatives to track their location in real time.
Digital signage was also preferred for real-time updates.
IoT sensors also became a part of Mahakumbh. They were monitoring air quality, traffic congestion, and waste collection.
Digital Payments enabled a cashless Ecosystem in Mahakumbh. These AI-based payment Apps positively and efficiently helped devotees with digital payment and transactions.
Artificial Intelligence
Nobody can back out from the revolutionary changes coming through AI. Mahakumbh also became an exemplary devotional event that used AI for considerable purposes. The people of India proved that they follow their thousands of years old rituals and traditions with devotion and know how to grow with technology.
I also believe that if some rituals do not harm humanity, any species or Mother Earth, we should follow them and show gratitude.
Many people questioned from the beginning that a huge assemblage like this ever isn't possible. They were questioning the numbers shared by the Government of Uttar Pradesh. However, the government shared data from various AI systems to analyse different factors in Mahakumbh.
The government of Uttar Pradesh settled over 500 AI cameras to monitor human assemblage.
Facial recognition AI-based cameras were the prominent AI used to monitor crowds. These AI cameras recognise human faces and generate real-time data.
The second superior factor where AI was needed was Crowd management. Here, AI predicts crowd surges, fluency of routes, and heat maps to identify crowded areas and send alerts in case of emergencies.
Machine learning also took place in all safety measures of Mahakumbh. Its algorithms sense traffic flow and help to maintain a safe and wholesome environment.
Many well-known online websites, such as Boston Institute of Analytics, India Today, Economic Times, and Jagran Josh, also admitted all these facilities through their articles.
You will be surprised to hear that, but the use of AI in healthcare services also reached consummation in Maha Kumbh 2025. It was the best way to represent the transformation of India in the medical sector. This healthcare AI managed all the medical emergencies there.
Creating such an immense infrastructure wasn't an easy thing for anyone.
Infrastructure Investment
A token of appreciation should be dedicated to the Government of Uttar Pradesh. Their efforts and rigid steps in Mahakumbh were highly perceptible and made the success of such a grand devotional occasion. The government invested significantly in establishing a technological and secure infrastructure for devotees.
The data is available on the official website of Uttar Pradesh's Government in the public domain. The state government made elaborate arrangements for the Maha Kumbh, including infrastructure development, sanitation, food safety, etc. The absolute investment was around Rs 7,500 crore. It became the most profitable investment ever.
A total of 549 projects related to infrastructure, sanitation, and logistics were launched during Mahakumbh Mela.
Constructing roads, flyovers, and underpasses in Prayagraj was part of this giant infrastructure Plan.
Sanitation was the prominent factor for the Maha Kumbh. 1.5 Lakh toilets were constructed in Kumbh Mela to save our Goddess rivers and create a clean environment. Sewage Treatment Plants and Bio-remediation Installations methods for maintaining sanitation were the eminent methods to clean the ghats.
The food was another major factor that needed to be pure and hygienic for devotees during this pure event of Maha Kumbh. It was the religious congregation that purity was the responsibility of the state government. After measuring every step, the government implemented strict food safety measures across five zones and 25 sectors. Surveyed hygiene at hotels, dhabas, and stalls. Executed on-the-spot testing to prevent impurity.
Also, the state government Installed 800 multi-language signages, digital tourist maps, and security systems linked to artificial intelligence to guide devotees.
Around 41 ghats, including Balua Ghat, Kalighat, Rasulabad Ghat, Sangam Ghat, Chhatnag Ghat, Nageshwar Ghat, and Old Arail Ghat, were renovated for the devotees for the comfortable bathing in Goddess rivers.
Instead, the craze of Sangam Ghat, where our three mother rivers meet, Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, remained the most remarkable attraction. Even the most extraordinary human gathering was seen there as 8 crores visitors.
Over 37,000 police officers and 14,000 home guards, including NDRF, SDRF, CAPF, PAC, and bomb disposal squads, were deployed for security at the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj.
After this remarkable arrangement, the state government expected the event to generate Rs 250 billion, direct revenues and an overall economic impact of Rs 2 trillion for the state's economy. And, the surprising truth is, as per the Economic Times, Mahakumbh generated 3 lakh crore business in 45 days.
Tragedies and Inconvenience
After taking every precaution by the state government and assembling a secure environment for devotees, some mistakes remained as a scar. Nobody can ignore the depressing tragedies during the holy event of Maha Kumbh. Many people lost their lives, and many lost their relatives. We can't deny the inconvenience experienced by people, either in the form of train reservations, long jammed roads, long routes for walking or expensive flight tickets.
All inconveniences and tragedies came with a life lesson. Either the ordinary citizen or the state government learned from them. Despite numerous unfortunate incidents, the purity and devotion to visiting MahaKumbh never weakened.
Devotees and the government realised their mistakes and continued their voyage to experience the festival of holiness. The result, the Tremendous Devotional Assemblage in Human History, Mahakumbh 2025, Prayagraj, ended with great success and gathered 66 crore people successfully. It confirmed three Guinness World Records.
Guinness World Records
The occasion of Maha Kumbh ended with the three Guinness World Records.
- Hand Printing: An event where 10,000 participants gathered in Ganga Pandal and created the longest hand printing. 80 feet in length and five feet in width. That artwork symbolised unity, parity, brotherhood, and spirituality.
- Largest Simultaneous river cleaners: A team of 15000 sanitation workers reached to pursue a cleanliness drive across four zones. A wristband technology was used to count the workers digitally to ensure accurate numbers.
- The highest number of volunteers participating in a single-site cleanliness drive: On Mahakumbh, 300 sanitation workers gathered to make history. This mass-conformed river cleaning on Ganga Ghat published their efforts in the Golden Words in the Guinness World Records book.
Yet, there is a lot to cover about Mahakumbh. Every ritual, every belief, and every story related to this auspicious occasion is a complete topic to write a book about. I am immersed wholly in its profoundness.
However, it is time to depart and search for the next knowledgeable and religious place.
I hope you will like my words and share your experience through messages and comments.
With my complete devotion and respect, welcoming all my readers.
Till then, Har Har Mahadev ॐ नमः शिवाय
Jai Ganga Maiya. ॐ नमो गंगायै विश्वरुपिणी नारायणी नमो नम:
Thank you!
Happy reading!
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