Maha Kumbh, the biggest confluence of faith and humanity on earth, is set to begin from Jan 13 in Prayagraj which is likely to be attended by 40 crore devotees, as compared to 24 crore people in 2019 Kumbh Mela.
As has been the practice during every Kumbh Mela, the Uttar Pradesh govt has notified Maha Kumbh mela area, spanning over 4,000 hectares, as the 76th district of the state for better management and organisation of the religious congregation.
The new district has been constituted for four months and would cease to exist thereafter.
Maha Kumbh is much more than a religious event as people from different walks of life, faith, background and belief return from here with some memorable takeaways. Even the ones looking for a luxurious stay in the middle of the chaos would not be disappointed with the tariff of Swiss tents, wooden cottages and dome rooms with a view of the banks of Sangam ranging between Rs 12,000 and Rs 1 lakh for a night.
Leading from the front, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been visiting Prayagraj almost every week to oversee the preparations. During an inspection on Dec 31, he said that safety and convenience of visitors at Maha Kumbh was his govt's foremost priority.
Appealing to the people of Prayagraj to uphold the highest standards of cleanliness and hospitality during the grand event, he said: "With everyone's cooperation, the honour of hosting the Maha Kumbh with full grandeur will not only reflect the efforts of the double-engine govt but also the pride of the people of Prayagraj."
"I appeal to the residents of Prayagraj to seize this opportunity to surpass the remarkable example of cleanliness and hospitality they set during the 2019 Kumbh. This time too, our Prayagraj will shine as a model of cleanliness and exemplary hospitality." he said.
A big-ticket affair
With a budget rollout of about Rs 12,670 crore, both central and state govts have collaborated to organise Maha Kumbh in a smooth manner.
Four central agencies and 15 UP government departments are finishing more than 410 projects of various ticket sizes to make the event successful. Though the Kumbh Mela will take off on Jan 13, devotees have started arriving at Sangam, and many of them will stay even after the mela concludes on Feb 26.
A pop-up city is built on the sandy banks of Ganga, Yamuna and mythological Saraswati rivers which offer amenities and infrastructure required for long-term stay of millions of people.
Scale and sizeWith a population size equivalent to one-fourth of the country expected to visit Prayagraj between Jan and March, it will be a big challenge for the authorities to cater to such a mammoth number.
Maintaining 24x7 power and water supply, ensuring disposal of solid, water and human waste, security, crowd management, parking of motor vehicles, transportation, accessibility to the mela area, healthcare and emergency services require a lot of brainstorming.
District magistrate of Maha Kumbh Nagar (the 76th district), Vijay Kiran Anand said, "We are prepared to face the challenge. We are striving to ensure that those visiting the mela face minimal inconvenience."
Determined to put up a good show before the world during the mass gatherings (on six important bathing dates), Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation by visiting the mela area on Dec 13. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made five visits so far, the last being on Dec 28.
Extraordinary featFour world records would be attempted during Maha Kumbh which include largest parade of electric vehicles, largest river cleaning exercise, maximum number of handprint paintings produced within eight hours and largest synchronised sweeping drive undertaken anywhere in the world.
Over 13,000 trains and 250 flights will connect devotees with Maha Kumbh. Once at the event, making a trip to Ayodhya and Varanasi would be possible by road.
Efforts are on to provide helicopter shuttle services through private players to bring down the commute time further. Nonetheless, a luxurious river cruise would be offered to help devotees enjoy the Ganga 'aarti', on the lines of Varanasi.
Over 100 parking lots, spanning over 1,850 hectares, have been set up in Arail, Jhusi, Phaphamau and city side to accommodate five lakh four-wheelers. Moreover, 37,611 security personnel will be deputed to ensure the safety of visitors.
Four paramedics and 100 guides, who can communicate in multiple languages, will be deployed across all 25 sectors.
Smart pushWith a mobile app chatbot (KumbhSahAIyak) at the forefront, first-time visitors would have the option to access places of interest, GPS routes to parking lots, and navigation tips on their smartphones.
At least 1,000 AI-enabled cameras have been installed strategically across the city to generate real-time traffic updates with railway stations, bus stands, parking lots, key mela entry and exit routes covered under integrated command and control centres.
Overall, about 30,000 CCTV cameras have been installed for efficient crowd control. Only authorised drones would be allowed within the mela area where counter-drone technology would be in place. Underwater drones and sonar technology would be used to keep pilgrims secure from mishaps on key bathing days.
Digital lost and found centres will add another dimension as grievances and complaints related to lost personal belongings made over social media, mobile app and offline will be tackled through AI-enabled cameras installed in the mela area. Two-wheelers mounted with scanners, which are able to generate event tickets on coming across a trash pile and garbage heaps, have also been readied.
Principal secretary for urban development Amrit Abhijat said, "A Similar mechanism has been put in place to ensure people have access to clean toilets throughout the day. We would give users the option to report issues related to hygiene, cleanliness, and personal safety."
Increasing footprintProminent artists like Shankar Mahadevan, Kailash Kher, Sonu Nigam, Vishal Bhardwaj, Shreya Ghoshal, Jubin Nautiyal, Richa Sharma, Hema Malini, Ashutosh Rana, and Ravi Kishan will perform in the Ganga pandal.
Prominent poets, classical singers, dancers, musicians, writers, and lyricists would entertain the audience daily.
Ministers from Uttar Pradesh are touring various states to invite chief ministers, governors and prominent personalities from other parts of the country, while Indian missions in various parts of the world are encouraging foreign nationals to attend the mega event.
Similarly, India Post, Indian railways, public broadcast services, Delhi metro and various privately managed airports and institutions are publicising the mega event domestically.
Host city gets readyWith the 2025 Maha Kumbh round the corner, giving final touches to beautify and improve the aesthetic value of Prayagraj city has turned into the topmost priority for agencies concerned.
Artists from different parts of the country, including professionals having expertise to come up with modern yet mythological visual arts, have been roped in to come up with sketches, creatives and designs.
Thematic lighting would be done along the 24 major routes of the city and would provide an appealing ambience to commuters, pilgrims and visitors.
Routes connecting Sangam area to airport and railway station through prominent parts have been spruced up.
Extensive wall paintings and murals have been made which depict episodes from religious scriptures, and folklores.
From busy market areas to upmarket residential colonies, the artistic renditions will depict a visual narrative of rituals, mythological stories, and eternal connection between the three holy rivers.
Tech pushCrossing a major hurdle, the mela administration has worked with experts from IIT-Guwahati to carry out advanced topographical study to prepare a mathematical model after evaluating the morphology of Ganga.
More than 3,000 hectare of land that was available in 2019 Kumbh has been washed away due to the strong currents of the river in the last five years.
By deploying geotube, further erosion of the banks has been put under check while nine permanent ghats and temporary ghats have been added to provide a 12-km long secured embankment for devotees to take a holy dip. Last year, 8-km of ghats were constructed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the latest edition of his 'Mann Ki Baat' address (aired on Dec 29) described the mega event as 'Maha Kumbh of unity' and appealed to the people to visit the religious event. He gave the mantra of 'Maha Kumbh ka sandesh, ek ho poora desh'.
Ensuring medical care and treatment during harsh weather conditions is another priority. While the central hospital will have 100 beds, two sub-center hospitals having 20 beds as well as 25 first-aid posts will be established. 125 ambulances would be on standby.
Deep dive into key bathing days:- Paush Purnima (January 13)
The Maha Kumbh Mela and Kalpavas begin on Paush Purnima. It is said that the full moon day accentuates the spiritual vibrations of the Sangam, adding to the relevance of Kumbh.
- Makar Sankranti (January 14)
Makar Sankranti marks the first ‘Shahi Snan’. On this day, the sun moves into Capricorn, marking the end of winter. Royal processions of ascetics and saints, covered with ash and saffron, from Akharas mark the day. It is said that bathing on this day brings wealth and peace.
- Mauni Amavasya (January 29)
On Mauni Amavasya, many people observe silence. Seers take a holy dip during Shahi Snan on this new moon day. It is said that bathing on this day cleanses body and soul.
- Basant Panchami (February 3)
On this day, prayers are offered to goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge and wisdom. Basant Panchami marks the advent of spring. Wearing yellow clothes, representing wealth, devotees take holy dip to seek knowledge and prosperity.
- Maghi Purnima (February 12)
On Maghi Purnima, the full moon day in the month of Magh, devotees take a holy dip with the belief that the energy of the moon would strengthen spirituality in them.
- Mahashivratri (February 26)
The last bathing day is dedicated to Lord Shiva, which marks the culmination of Maha Kumbh. On this day, devotees observe fast and pay obeisance to Lord Shiva.
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