Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh will host the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the biggest religious congregations in the world, from January 13 to February 25, 2025.
This significant Hindu festival occurs once every 12 years and attracts millions of devotees who gather to immerse themselves in the sacred waters of the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Yamuna, Ganga, and the legendary Saraswati rivers.
Here are 10 interesting facts about this historic gathering that might surprise you:
1. Date and Maha Kumbh 2025 budget: The Maha Kumbh 2025, which is slated to start on January 14, would occupy 4,000 hectares along the riverbank and is anticipated to draw at least 40 crore visitors with an approximate expenditure of Rs 6,382 crore.
2. Auspicious days for taking a bath: *January 14, 2025: Makar Sankranti (First Shahi Snan), and January 13, 2025: Paush Purnima
*Second Shahi Snan’s Mauni Amavasya on January 29, 2025
*February 3, 2025: Third Shahi Snan’s Basant Panchami
*March 12, 2025: Maghi Purnima
*Maha Shivratri, February 26, 2025 (Final Snan)
3. Largest gathering on Earth: The Mela is recognized as the largest peaceful assembly of individuals on the planet. This religious event attracts millions of devotees, tourists, and visitors who converge in a single location to engage in the sacred rituals.
4. Significance behind the festival: The Kumbh Mela has its origins in ancient Hindu scriptures, tracing back thousands of years. It is deeply embedded in the legendary narrative of the Samudra Manthan, or the churning of the ocean, during which drops of the elixir of immortality descended upon four sacred sites: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain.
5. Importance of bathing in sacred water: Taking a holy dip in the sacred river during the Maha Kumbh is believed to rinse all the sins and make the way for salvation (moksha). The convergence of three rivers, particularly, the Ganga, Saraswati, and Yamuna holds immense importance.
6. UNESCO Recognition: The Kumbh Mela has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recognition highlights its global cultural and spiritual significance.
7. Economic growth of the region: The event helps in boosting the local economy. It also generates jobs and opportunities for different sectors like tourism, hospitality, retail, transport, and food.
8. Astrological Importance: The timing of the Maha Kumbh is based on planetary alignments. The date of this grand event is decided on the positions of the Sun, the Moon and Jupiter.
9. Celebrities in Mahakumbh: Several film celebrities, be it from the Bollywood, Tollywood or Bhojpuri cinema, are expected to arrive in Prayagraj and take holy dip at Sangam. These celebrities include Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Anup Jalota, Renuka Shahane, Ashutosh Rana, Ravi Kishan, Manoj Tiwari, Akshara Singh, and Rakhi Sawant, among others, according to several reports.
10. Mythological Origins: The event has its connection to a legend in Hindu mythology. It is believed that drops of the divine nectar of immortality, or Amrit spilled at four locations during a cosmic battle between Gods and demons, giving these sites their holiness.
