Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Over 150 special trains to run for Mauni Amavasya; mela will host over 45 crore visitors, says UP govt

Maha Kumbh : Triveni Sangam witnesses divine 'Sandhya Aarti', devotees throng ghats

A large crowd of devotees gathered at Ramghat in Prayagraj on Friday evening to participate in the sacred 'Sandhya Aarti,' a ritual dedicated to the holy river Ganga. Women led the ceremony, which featured the 'Ganga Aarti' performed at the Triveni Sangam.

As part of the tradition, priests lit large oil lamps and moved in synchronized patterns while chanting hymns and mantras, creating a deeply spiritual and mesmerizing atmosphere. This sunset ritual is a time-honored practice to honor and pay homage to the revered river.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal praises the facilities at Maha Kumbh, calls them "excellent"

Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal praised the arrangements at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, calling them "excellent." Highlighting the gathering at the Triveni Ghats, he described it as a powerful symbol of unity.

Speaking to ANI, Meghwal said, "I have been to Kumbh before, but the facilities in this Maha Kumbh are excellent. The gathering at the Triveni Ghats conveys a message of unity."

Later, Meghwal attended the event 'Mera Samvidhan, Mera Swabhiman' and reflected on the spiritual significance of the occasion, which included a sacred 'Ganga Snan,' describing it as "pious."

UP has set benchmark of progress, will attend Maha Kumbh, take holy dip: VP Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, speaking at Uttar Pradesh's 76th foundation day celebrations on Friday, highlighted the state’s remarkable progress and its critical role in India's development. Accepting chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s invitation, he announced his participation in the Maha Kumbh on February 1.

"I will take a dip with my family and pledge to dedicate myself fully to serving the nation. This will be a moment of pride for me," Dhankhar said.

He also commended the tradition of celebrating the state’s foundation day, initiated in 2018, which annually introduces significant schemes for the state’s welfare.

Maha Kumbh 2025: Mamta Kulkarni performs 'pind daan' at Sangham Ghat

Former Bollywood actor Mamta Kulkarni performed the 'pind daan' ritual at the Sangam Ghat in Prayagraj on Friday. Speaking to ANI, Kulkarni said, "This was the order of Mahadev, Maha Kaali. This was the order of my Guru. They chose this day. I didn't do anything."

Earlier, Acharya Mahamandleshwar of Kinnar Akhada, Laxmi Narayan, announced that Mamta Kulkarni has taken on a spiritual role as the Mahamandleshwar.

"Kinnar Akhada is making Mamta Kulkarni a Mahamandleshwar. She has been named Shri Yamai Mamta Nandgiri. Rituals are underway as we speak. She has been connected with the Kinnar Akhada and me for the past one and a half years. She is free to perform any devotional character, as we do not restrict anyone from expressing their devotion through art," Laxmi Narayan stated.

Over 1.21 lakh devotees have availed Ayush services at Maha Kumbh, says ministry

Over 1.21 lakh devotees have benefited from Ayush services at Maha Kumbh, courtesy of facilities set up by the Ministry of Ayush in collaboration with the National Ayush Mission, Uttar Pradesh. Ayush OPDs, clinics, stalls, and interactive sessions have become major attractions for devotees and visitors at the grand event in Prayagraj.

The Ministry of Ayush, in a statement, highlighted its efforts to offer free healthcare services to both domestic and international devotees attending the festival.

The Ayush team at Maha Kumbh includes 80 doctors operating across 20 OPDs, providing round-the-clock medical care. These facilities are equipped to manage a variety of common and chronic health conditions, ensuring comprehensive healthcare services throughout the event.

Maha Kumbh 2025: Daily water testing, removal of pooja waste among measures to keep Ganga 'dip-safe'

The Pollution Control Board conducts daily water testing of the river, whilst continuous segregation of flowers and pooja materials from water occurs alongside a 200-km provisional drainage network directing greywater to treatment centres. Advanced technologies manage human waste disposal, ensuring the Ganga remains suitable for bathing during the Maha Kumbh. Read more

Maha Kumbh Live: Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal takes a holy dip at Sangam

UP CM Yogi Adityanath slams Akhilesh Yadav for 'criticising' Maha Kumbh

Maha Kumbh Live: Russian and Ukrainian devotees join Kumbh Mela, chanting 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna'

Several devotees from Russia and Ukraine, two nations locked in conflict for nearly three years, came together at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj on Thursday, spreading a message of spiritual harmony. The atmosphere in Prayagraj was serene as devotees gathered on the chilly winter evening to perform kirtan, chanting 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna'.

Maha Kumbh Live: Over 30.29 lakh devotees take a holy dip at Sangam by 10am, total count crosses 10.21 crore

A vast crowd of devotees was captured in drone visuals taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Friday. Braving the intense cold, over 30.29 lakh devotees, including 10 lakh 'kalpwasis,' took a holy dip by 10am, according to official data released by the Uttar Pradesh government. Visitors from around the globe are often amazed to see people from diverse languages, cultures, and traditions unite at the Sangam to take a holy dip.

Maha Kumbh: Daily water testing and removal of pooja waste to ensure Ganga remains 'dip-safe'

To ensure the Ganga remains "dip-safe" during the Maha Kumbh, several measures are being implemented, including daily river water sampling by the Pollution Control Board, 24/7 removal of flowers and pooja materials from the water, a 200-km temporary drainage system to direct greywater to treatment facilities, and advanced technology to manage human waste. The Maha Kumbh, a grand religious event held every 12 years, is taking place in Prayagraj from January 13 and will continue for 45 days. So far, over eight crore pilgrims have taken a holy dip at the Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers converge.

Maha Kumbh Live: Devotees brave morning chill to take holy dip at Sangam during the ongoing Kumbh Mela

10 crore in 10 days: Number of pilgrims at Sangam soars

The ongoing Maha Kumbh has crossed the 10-crore milestone for pilgrims taking a dip in Sangam since the start of the world’s biggest religious and spiritual congregation on Jan 13, the UP govt said on Thursday. “The 10-crore figure was surpassed at 12pm on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing Maha Kumbh,” it said in the statement. By 8pm, the number reached 10.21 crore. On Thursday alone, over 35 lakh devotees including 10 lakh kalpwasis took the holy dip. The state govt estimates that this Maha Kumbh will host over 45 crore visitors and the early achievement of 10 crore bathers reaffirms these projections. Read more

Watch: Devotees flock to Triveni Ghat for a holy dip at Sangam in Prayagraj

Maha Kumbh Live: Morning Aarti performed at Triveni Sangam

Maha Kumbh Live: Devotees from Russia, Ukraine participate in Mela, chant 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna'

Maha Kumbh Live: Centre’s stall giving out assistive devices to elderly, disabled at Kumbh

When 80-year-old Shyamkali Chaturvedi came from Nari Bari village to the Maha Kumbh to perform kalpwas – a month-long rigorous spiritual practice of staying along the banks of the Triveni and offering prayers – she could barely hear and struggled to walk. Ten days into her stay, the enthusiastic granny sees hope of living a more wholesome life in her twilight years. She happily points towards a newly fitted hearing aid and a walking stick that she was provided when she went out seeking a solution to her problem to the Pavillion of the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment (MoSJE) in Mahakumbh Nagar’s sector 7 where a set-up for providing assistive devices has been created for seniors and persons with disabilities. Read more

Maha Kumbh Live: ABAP to release Sanatan Board’s draft constitution

The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) said on Thursday that a constitution draft of the proposed Sanatan Board would be released during the dharma sansad at Maha Kumbh on Jan 27. The board would free Hindu religious places from the control of the govt, the parishad added. Addressing a press conference at the Niranjani Akhara, ABAP president Shrimant Ravindra Puri compared the proposed Dharam Sansad to the next ‘Samudra Manthan’. After the ‘Manthan’ (churning), the ‘nectar’ would emerge in the form of the ‘Sanatan Board’, he said. The Dharam Sansad would be attended by seers of 13 akharas who have come to Maha Kumbh or are in different parts of the country. The ABAP president said that the proposed board would have representatives from all the 13 akharas, all the four Sankaracharyas and all the jagadgurus as its members. Read more

‘Saif’s critical med details not in 1st hospital report so no murder bid in FIR’

The assault charges filed by Bandra police on Shariful Fakir, actor Saif Ali Khan’s attacker, has triggered another round of debate. In the wee hours of Jan 16, Shariful broke into Khan’s Bandra home and repeatedly stabbed him — leaving behind a 2.5-inch knife tip in a wound near his mid spine that oozed spinal fluid. While legal experts said that an attempt to murder charge could have been added given the extent of the back wound, police said their charges reflected the medicolegal case report filed by Lilavati Hospital doctors soon after Khan entered the casualty in his bloodied clothes. The hospital report filed at 4.11am — almost an hour after the actor’s arrival — states multiple lacerations and abrasions and has no mention of the deep wound in his mid-spine region that necessitated an emergency operation.

Arvind Kejriwal targets Yogi Adityanath over power cuts in UP, promises to continue free services

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal at a public meeting in Hari Nagar on Thursday ridiculed Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s govt on power cuts in the neighbouring state and warned voters that BJP has announced it would end free education and healthcare in Delhi if it wins. “Yogi Adityanath has come to Delhi, he is welcome. We are in power for the last 10 years in Delhi. Soon after coming to power, we provided 24x7 electricity. It has been 10 years too since BJP has been ruling Uttar Pradesh. It is a ‘double-engine’ govt. I want to ask Yogi Adityanath how many hours of power cuts are there in Uttar Pradesh. I have heard there are 10-hour-long power cuts across UP, 6-hour-long in Noida and Lucknow,” Kejriwal told the crowd. Read more

Maha Kumbh stands for unity: Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah said in Ahmedabad on Thursday that no other event in the world conveys a more powerful message of unity and harmony than the Maha Kumbh, which is currently being held at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Shah said that irrespective of one’s identity, anyone can take a dip in the Ganga at the Maha Kumbh. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair, he said that people across the world are in awe after looking at the scale at which the event has been organised. Ambassadors of various countries requested him for “invitation cards”, the senior BJP leader said. “I told them there is no formal invitation for this mega gathering. Crores of people converge here on their own at a specific time according to the alignment of the planets,” Shah stated. “They could not believe that 40 crore people gathered at a place without any invitation. I told them what the govt does is very small in comparison to what religious leaders, seers and service organisations do for the visitors,” Shah said. “At Kumbh, no one asks which religion, sect or caste you belong to. You will get food without discrimination. Every visitor goes back home after taking a holy dip. No other event in the world conveys a more powerful message of harmony and unity than Maha Kumbh.” He said that the Kumbh has been going on for thousands of years and continued uninterrupted even during the Mughal and British rule and when Congress was in power. Urging everyone to visit Maha Kumbh, Shah said he too will take a dip in the Ganga on Jan 27.

65-year-old Bihar woman, refuses to sell cigarettes, raped by 4

A 65-year-old woman in Bihar’s Lakhisarai, who owns a betel shop, was allegedly gang-raped by four men, who came to her house asking for cigarettes past midnight on Wednesday, reports Kshitiz. When the woman refused, the four accused, who were drunk, broke into her house and dragged her to a nearby field, where they allegedly raped her, police said. Two of the perpetrators were arrested on Thursday, while raids are being carried out to nab the two absconding. Read more