Mahakumbh 2025: Grand finale all set to witness massive crowds

All preparations complete for Mahashivratri, over 2.5 cr pilgrims likely to bathe at Sangam on Wednesday

Published on: Feb 25, 2025, 05:02:16 IST

By Kenneth John, MAHAKUMBH NAGAR (PRAYAGRAJ)

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As huge turnout of devotees is expected to take the holy dip at Sangam during the sixth and final bathing festival on Mahashivratri at the Mahakumbh here on Wednesday, the state government is geared up to ensure that the 45-day mega event ends peacefully.

Rush of crowd at Mahakumbh on February 24. (HT photo)

For the final bathing festival, the administration has put in place traffic restrictions to deal with the heavy influx of pilgrims. Zonal bathing plan would remain in effect for the final bathing festival wherein people would take the holy dip at any of the 48 bathing ghats located nearest to them, officials said. As per the official estimate, around 2.5 crore devotees are likely to take the holy dip at the Sangam on Mahashivratri.

All 30 pontoon bridges have been closed for now and would be made operational as per need to prevent devotees from crossing over to Sangam area from different parts of the mela, they add. District magistrate, Mahakumbh Nagar, Vijay Kiran Anand said all preparations had been made and a comprehensive plan has been implemented for parking and traffic diversions.

The Mahakumbh started with Paush Purnima Snan here on January 13. Since then, over 62 crore people have visited the fair and bathed at Sangam. By 8 pm on Monday, 1.30 crore people had taken the holy dip at Sangam. With this the total number of people who have bathed in Sangam since the mega fair began rose to 63.36 crore.

On Sunday by 8pm, 62.06 crore devotees had taken the holy dip. With two days still left, officials estimate the total count could surpass 65 crore mark by the end of the event. On Mahashivratri, the auspicious timings for the holy dip will start at 9.19 am on Wednesday and end at 8.09 am on Thursday.

Moreover, Monday was the 30th day in succession when an average of over a crore devotees took the holy dip at Sangam as the trend started from January 26 onwards. People from all walks of life from India and abroad have visited the mega fair.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenneth John
Kenneth John is a seasoned journalist with over three decades of reporting experience with different national dailies. As a correspondent with Hindustan Times, he is known for his impactful grassroots journalism, focusing on stories that amplify the voices of marginalised communities and bring issues of public concern into the spotlight. Over the years, he has reported extensively on education, women and child welfare, health, crime, infrastructure, environment, human rights, rural development, poverty, and public policy. His work has consistently highlighted the challenges faced by vulnerable sections of society, particularly in rural and underserved regions. Recognised for his investigative and human-interest reporting, his notable stories include exposing severe child malnutrition in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where he documented instances of children eating mud to cope with extreme hunger. These reports drew attention to serious gaps in welfare delivery and prompted discussions on policy intervention and accountability. A keen observer of social and cultural transformations, he has covered three Mahakumbhs and two Kumbh Melas at Prayagraj’s Sangam, reporting on their religious, social, cultural, and administrative dimensions. Among his most widely discussed exclusives was the story on Uttar Pradesh’s first all-women gang, “D39,” in Kaushambi, revealing how poverty, child marriage, and domestic abuse pushed several women toward crime. His journalism continues to combine investigative rigour with deep human sensitivity.Read More

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