Bengaluru visitors flock to Maha Kumbh Mela as travel inquiries surge despite skyrocketing airfares: Report

Mela, which concludes on February 26, is attracting many from the city eager to experience the spiritual event.

Bengaluru is witnessing a surge of interest in the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela, with travel and tour operators reporting an influx of inquiries and bookings, despite soaring airfares. The

Devotees take a dip at Triveni Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh 2025, in Prayagraj on Thursday. (ANI Pic Service)

Mela, which concludes on February 26, is attracting many from the city eager to experience the spiritual event, Deccan Herald reported.

Flight prices from Bengaluru to Prayagraj during this period have skyrocketed, with the cheapest available ticket for February 25 priced at ₹12,374. Meanwhile, the most expensive ticket, for January 27, is pegged at ₹54,351—up to 7.5 times higher than typical fares seen in March and April. To accommodate the demand, airlines such as Indigo have increased flights on key dates, the report further added.

According to the DH report, tour operators in Bengaluru are also feeling the heat of high travel costs. Tirtha Yatra in Malleswaram is receiving around 200 inquiries daily. Due to the increased airfares, the agency is directing travelers to alternate airports like Varanasi, Lucknow, and Kanpur, arranging for buses or tempos to transport them to Prayagraj.

Many of the inquiries are coming from middle-aged and senior citizens.

Accommodation demand is also at an all-time high. Agoda reports a 233 per cent increase in domestic accommodation searches for Prayagraj compared to last year, as per the publication.

Maha Kumbh expenditure

Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh is hosting the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the biggest religious congregations in the world, from January 13 to February 25, 2025. At the holy confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, millions of devotees are anticipated to attend this celebration to get blessings and take a holy bath.

Held every 12 years, this important Hindu event draws millions of worshippers who come to bathe at the holy Triveni Sangam, where the Yamuna, Ganga, and the fabled Saraswati rivers meet.

The Maha Kumbh 2025, which is slated to start on January 14, 2025, would occupy 4,000 hectares along the riverbank and is anticipated to draw at least 40 crore visitors with an approximate expenditure of ₹6,382 crore, The Indian Express reported.