MAHA KUMBH 2025 – The Spiritual Confluence

MAHAKUMBH MELA-2025

The Maha Kumbh 2025 is a significant Hindu religious event that attracts millions of devotees from across the globe. Kumbh Mela 2025 is scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 26, 2025, at the confluence of holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The Maha Kumbh at Prayagrajis held every 12 years. It creates the occasion for the largest human congregation on the earth in which devotees coming from all corners of the world celebrate faith, tradition, and cultural heritage. This grand festival will continue for nearly one and a half month sand will be marked by a series of ritual baths in the sacred waters. As a vibrant multi-hued religio-cultural event, the Maha Kumbh showcases India’s rich traditions, arts, and unity in diversity.

The festival is once-in-a-lifetime experience for visitors curious about Hindu religion and philosophy. The whole atmosphere during Kumbh Mela bustles with enchanting sounds of bells, chanting of Vedic hymns and mantras, procession of Naga Sadhus and other Akhaaras of Sadhus on camels and elephants in their gold and silver chariots being pulled by devotees, as they display their strength and skills.

UNESCO recognizes the Kumbh Mela as humanity’s intangible cultural heritage. The ‘MahaKumbh, 2025’ is expected to attract over 250 million devotees and pilgrims from more than 75 different countries. Extensive plans are underway to organize the event on a grand and spectacular note.

BATHING DATES

Push Purnima 13th January, 2025

Makar Sankranti (1st Shahi Snan) 14th January, 2025

Mauni Amavasya (2nd Shahi Snan) 29th January, 2025

Basant Panchami (3rd Shahi Snan) 04th February, 2025

Achata Purnima 12th February, 2025

Shri Mahashivratri 26th February, 2025

WHERE EVEN THE STARS WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THIS OCCASION

HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF MAHA KUMBH MELA

Mythological significance of Kumbh emerges from the samudra manthan or ocean churning by the gods and demons to obtain invaluable gifts and Amrita, the nectar of immortality.

According to Skandapurana, the first thing to emerge in this churning was venom, Halahal. Lord Shiva consumed it to save all creatures from death.The churning further precipitated 13 other invaluable entities. One of them was Lord Dhanvantari with an urn of nectar. As soon as Dhanvantariappeared, Jayanta, the son of Lord Indra, snatched the AmritKalash(Urn of nectar)from him and ran away to hide it from the demons. However, the demons chased him to get it. Jayanta kept on running for 12 days to save it.

While running away with the AmritKalash, Jayanthad put the urn down at four places — Haridwar, Prayag, Nashik-Trimbakeshwar and Ujjain — and in the process of putting down and lifting again the AmritKalash,some nectar spilled at these places. Every time it happened, the sun, moon,and other planets were in a unique astronomical alignment. Those particular combinations are still followed in holding Kumbh at different places.

A Kumbh usually spans six to seven weeks. Taking bath in the confluence of holy rivers – Ganges,Yamuna and invisible Saraswati – during this period is supposed to wash down all the sins one may have committed knowingly or unknowingly in his life time. Taking bath on five to seven very auspicious bathing days falling during this period is supposed to liberate devotees from the cycle of birth and death.

When is a Kumbh held

Kumbh Mela  : Occurs every 12 at the four designated locations based on planetary positions .

Ardh Kumbh Mela : Celebrated every six years and takes place on Prayagraj and Haridwar 

Maha kumbh Mela : The largest and most significant of these gatherings held at Prayagraj after 144 years ( Upon completion of 12 Kumbh Melas)

Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh’

Kumbh Mela, 2019

Soon after the UNESCO declared the Kumbh at Prayagraj to be an “Intangible Cutural Heritage of Humanity” the UP Government under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath renamed ‘ardhKumabh’ as “Kumbh” and ‘Kumbh’ as ‘Mahakumbh’ through an act. Then it went into extensive planning to ensure grandeur and divinity of theKumbhMela, 2019 at Prayagraj. It was a grand success as the most well-planned and organized mass event. It was the largest peaceful and safe gathering of human kind.

The Uttar Pradesh government spent as much as Rs. 4,236 crore in organizing the Kumbh 2019 (ArdhKumbh).The KumbhMela 2019, witnessed 24 crore pilgrims and tourists. The state government vision of making it ‘DivyaKumbh, BhavyaKumbh’resulted into providing unprecedented amenities, facilities, security arrangements, and the overall experience to the pilgrims. The Mela also garnered global attention by setting up 3 Guinness Book World Records in a row.

The PrayagrajMela Authority led a coordinated effort, where over 32 State and Central Government Departments came together to deliver the safest, cleanest, and incident- free KumbhMela.It proved to be a paradigm shift in innovation in project management. Numerous permanent and temporary physical infrastructural projects were undertaken.Multiple digital innovations were planned and implemented throughout the process.

Key Initiatives of Kumbh, 2019 to

1. Swachh Kumbh

2. Paint my City

3. Integrated Command and Control Centres

4. Safety and Surveillance

5. Mobility Planning

6. Digital site planning and plot allocation system

7. Project Management Information System (PMIS)

8. Digital PDS

   TENT CITY The Department of Tourism is developing a Tent City in the Mela area. It will be having 2000 dwelling units to accommodate pilgrims. These luxury tents are being developed with all modern amenities to provide the pilgrims comfort. These tents will have attached bathroom with hot & cold water and housekeeping services, along with availability of hygienic food. Facilities in these tents include Accommodations with Quality Linens, Running Water in Toilets with Toiletries, Multi cuisine Dining Hall and round-the-clock Guest services.

Initiatives to ensure a grand, divine, green, clean and safe Mahakumbh-2025

 Beautification of the City by Uttar Pradesh Government

38 roads in the city are being beautified with Landscaping, Plantation and Thematic Development. The work is expected to be completed by November.

40 Crossings in the city are being re-designed.

City Thematic Lighting project is underway with 2,842 poles on 67.5 kilo meter long roads.

Art work on 10 lakh square feet area and creation of murals on 20,000 sq. ft.is going on.

374 parks being renovated.

Renovation/relaying of 316 kilometer roads to be completed by the end of November 2024.

Four Thematic gates and four thematic installations being built in the city . Common façade development being done on 10 roads. Also 30 temporary gates are being set up.

1467 signages being installed in the city.

Façade lighting being arranged at all important locations in Prayagraj.

Development of Bharadwaj Ashram and Shri ngverpur is going on. A Nakshatra Vaatika is being developed in Bharadwaj Ashram.

Hanuman Mandir corridor under construction.

Management and administrative arrangements

1. 2300 AI-equipped CCTV cameras to monitor every inch of MahaKumbh,2025.
2. AI-equipped cameras to help in crowd control, maintaining cleanliness & ensuring security
3. 80 Variable Message Displays (VMDs) and 03 viewing centres are also being set up for traffic management
4. Digital Lost –and-Found Centres to be set up in 10 sectors inside the fair area
5. Integration with Google Maps has been implemented to assist devotees in navigating the fairgrounds effortlessly.
6.  Food Court and vending zones25,000 Sq. Ft.grand food court being set up in Mela area
7. Devotees attending the Mahakumbh will experience local flavors, with a variety of cuisine styles available for pilgrims to enjoy
8. Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation starts preparations, planning to set up 25 food stalls of 15 x 15 square feet each
9. The designated area for the proposed Food Court lies along the Parade Ground Road, near the Ganga Pandal and Tourism Tent Colony in Sector-1 of the fair area

‘Sanskriti Gram’ to highlight Maha Kumbh’s significance through AR/VR show

• Sanskriti Gram’ to showcase India’s glorious heritage to visitors for 45 days on on 5-acre mela grounds
• UP Tourism Deptt.to arrange live streaming of virtual tours, mobile app integration, interactive display, and kiosk installation
•  Various types of events, including exhibitions, will be held during the melato entertain more than 25 crore devotees from 75 countries anticipated to visit Maha kumbh.

State government is geared up to provide world class health services at Maha Kumbh 2025. As many as 48 female doctors will be on duty under special arrangements for the female devotees at Maha Kumbh 2025. The state government has planned to set up 43 temporary hospitals and advanced medical facilities in the Maha Kumbh 2025 Mela area. 550 city buses to operate along with 7000 roadways buses in Maha kumbh 2025.

How to reach Kumbh Sthan ( Sangam)

Prayagraj is well connected through road, rail and air routes from almost all corners of the country.

Air The Bamrauli Air Force Base is the domestic airport in Prayagraj. Its distance from the Mela area is just 12Km. Pilgrims can take up domestic flights to Prayagraj from major cities. Prominent Indian airlines such as Air India, Indigo, etc. have regular services which is likely to be increased with special services during the Kumbh. Local cabs and buses are easily available to carry pilgrims from the airport to the Mela area.

Rail Prayagraj is the Headquarters of the Northern Central Railway. It offers quick and smooth connectivity with a large number of rail routes towards Delhi, Kolkata, Jhansi, Bhopal, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Lucknow etc.

 Road Prayagraj is well-connected with the major cities of the country through National and State Highways.

‘Prayag Darshan’

UP Government has planned to facilitate devotees attending Maha Kumbh, 2025 with visits to major pilgrimage sites in and around Prayagraj. This including Dwadash Madhav through ‘Prayag Darshan’ Air-conditioned buses equipped with modern amenities to ferry passengers to the sites. The ‘Prayag Darshan’ service will continue even post-Maha kumbh.

 It will also include a range of other significant pilgrimage sites such as Shri Ngaverpur Dham, Bhardwaj Ashram, Padila Mahadev, Someshwar Mahadev, Mankameshwar Temple, Hanuman Temple in Civil Lines, Naga vasuki Temple, Triveni Sangam, and Alopi Bagh Temple.