On the Day of Maha Shakti Purnima, a Unique Display of Unity: 10 Million Hindu Devotees Take Holy Dip in Prayagraj, India, as Part of a Global Spiritual Festival
Prayagraj, February 12, 2025 – On a special day of the Kumbh Mela festival at the holy pilgrimage site in northern India, nearly ten million Hindu devotees took a holy dip at the confluence of the sacred Ganges and Yamuna rivers to absolve their sins. According to authorities, the number of devotees who bathed together during a four-hour span exceeded ten million.
This was one of the most sacred days of the Kumbh Mela festival, known as Maghi Purnima. On this day, thousands of devotees gathered at Sangam, the meeting point of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati river. The Kumbh Mela, also referred to as the Maha Kumbh Mela or the Great Pitcher Festival, is considered the world's largest gathering of humanity.
Authorities have deployed additional police forces and arranged air ambulances to ensure the safety and security of the city. Prayagraj’s police chief, Prashant Kumar, told Reuters, “The number of people in this city on a single day is more than the population of many countries, and the numbers are growing by the minute.”
However, the influx of devotees and traffic jams have stretched the city's infrastructure to its limits. Media reports say vehicles were backed up for thousands of kilometers from the edges of the city.
Meanwhile, helicopters showered flower petals over the devotees taking their holy dip, adding an extra layer of sanctity to the ceremony.
