Maha Kumbh 2025 Live Updates: People who opposed Ram temple, Covid vaccine unhappy with Maha Kumbh, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath

Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is paying a special visit to India to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela and it is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.

The Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13, will end on February 26 in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. The mega religious festival witnessed its third grand 'Amrit Snan' on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami on Monday.

"At the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, paid a special visit to India to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Wednesday and at around 11 am, he will take a holy dip at the Sangam, his office said. Maha Kumbh 2025, which commenced on Paush Purnima (January 13, 2025), is the world's largest spiritual and cultural gathering, attracting devotees from across the globe.

The Maha Kumbh will continue until Mahashivratri on February 26, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.

Prime Minister Modi will visit Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj on February 5, it said.

At around 11 am, he will take a holy dip at the Sangam and offer prayers to Maa Ganga, the statement said.

"It is truly unfortunate that when such a huge tragedy occurred at the Kumbh Mela, witnessed by the entire world, the government initially concealed the numbers. And today, what is even more heartbreaking is that no one seems to care," said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Congress member Ranjeet Ranjan on Tuesday alleged that a coverup was orchestrated to 'hide' the actual number of victims who lost their lives in the Maha Kumbh stampede last week while claiming that the BJP-led government plays with the people's sentiments to come to power. Participating in the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha, Ranjan said the House shares the grief expressed by President Draupadi Murmu on the loss of lives in the Maha Kumbh stampede.

BJP MP Arun Govil on Tuesday hit back at Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Jaya Bachchan's remarks on Mahakumbh, questioning her claims about contaminated water and bodies of stampede victims being thrown into the river.

Govil demanded proof from Bachchan, stating that without evidence, she had no right to make such statements and claimed her remarks as baseless accusations. "Has she given any proof? She has not given anything, so she has no right to say all this," he said while speaking with ANI.

He further accused the opposition of having no interest in India's culture, religion, or Sanatan, but rather only seeking to politicize issues. "The opposition has nothing to do with our culture, religion, Sanatan, they only want to do politics," said the BJP MP.

Jaya Bachchan yesterday alleged that the water at Mahakumbh is contaminated and bodies of stampede victims have been thrown into the river.

Speaking to the reporters, Bachchan said, "... Where is the water most contaminated right now? It's in Kumbh. Bodies (of those who died in the stampede) have been thrown in the river, because of which the water has been contaminated... The real issues are not being addressed."

She further added, "The common people visiting Kumbh are not receiving any special treatment; there is no arrangement for them. They are lying that crores of people have visited the place; how can such a large number of people gather in that place at any given point?"

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday continued his attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over the Mahakumbh stampede incident and said that the government allowed this incident to take place.

Speaking to mediapersons, Yadav raised the question on why the Central government was not providing details of the actual number of people who died in the stampede that took place on January 29 this year at MahaKumbh venue in Prayagraj.

"If there was a huge gathering at that time, why was space not given in the Army premises? The Government allowed this incident to take place. Now, they do not want to give the details and if anyone tries to provide details, an FIR will be registered against them," the Samajwadi Party chief said.

Heyansh's father, Manjeet Kumar says, "My son is the youngest person to reach the Everest Basecamp...We used to go to the hills and we noticed that his (Heyansh's) body easily adapted to the environment. So after that, we consulted the experts and let him undergo training...He is now moving towards yoga also. It is his routine to do yoga"

The revered Naga Sadhus were the first to take the sacred bath at the Sangam, followed by other spiritual leaders and devotees. Millions of pilgrims lined up along special corridors to catch a glimpse of the ascetic sadhus as they marched for the Amrit Snan, a highlight of the Maha Kumbh.

The Maha Kumbh has already witnessed a record-breaking attendance, with over 37 crore devotees participating since its beginning. With 23 days still remaining, the total number of pilgrims is expected to surpass 500 million, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in human history.

After the holy bath, the King will visit important spiritual sites in Prayagraj, including Akshayavat (the eternal banyan tree), Hanuman Mandir, and the Digital Maha Kumbh Experience Centre. These visits will provide insight into India’s deep-rooted spiritual traditions and the significance of Maha Kumbh in Hindu culture.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck will depart for Prayagraj to visit the Maha Kumbh on Tuesday morning, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. CM Yogi Adityanath will accompany him on this spiritual journey. The King is expected to witness the grandeur of the festival and take part in significant rituals.

Folk artists performed traditional dances and songs to greet the King, who appreciated and encouraged their performances.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck landed at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport and was warmly welcomed by CM Yogi Adityanath with a bouquet.