On Mauni Amavasya, Mahakumbh Nagar is the world’s most populated district

The Mahakumbh Nagar DM said that they expect 10 crore devotees to arrive in the fair area on Mauni Amavasya.

Published on: Jan 29, 2025, 02:33:29 IST

By K Sandeep Kumar

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The population of Mahakumbh Nagar, the world’s largest temporary district situated on the sandy banks of the Sangam, will be at its highest on the biggest bathing festival of Mahakumbh - Mauni Amavasya - that is expected to attract 8 to 10 crore pilgrims on Wednesday.

Heavy rush of pilgrims in Sangam City a day before Mauni Amavasya . (HT Photo)

Leave alone any other district in the world, barring 14-odd countries, even no nation has such huge a population as the sprawling 40 sq km temporary district would have on January 29.

ALSO READ | Mahakumbh: 10 crore people to take Amrit Snan, 60 special trains to run on Mauni Amavasya

The significance of this bathing festival for followers of Sanatan Dharma can be gauged by the fact that even three days before Mauni Amavasya, 3 crore devotees from across the country had already converged on the Sangam. The figure swelled to over 4 crore on the eve of the bathing festival. On Tuesday, a day before the second Amrit Snan, 1.13 crore devotees had taken a dip by 10 am, and the number rose to over 1.88 crore by 12 noon and to 2.39 crore by 2pm even as the flow of pilgrims to Sangam continues.

In such a situation, when the bathing actually starts at 7.35pm on Tuesday and peaks from sunrise on Wednesday before concluding as per mahurat at 6.28pm, the count of pilgrims is expected to reach close to 10 crore.

ALSO READ | Maha Kumbh: 5 cr devotees take holy dip in Sangam on Jan 28, total pilgrims cross 20-crore mark

Interestingly, barring India whose population is around 1.46 billion and China 1.42 billion, only 10 to 12 other nations have a population over 100 million (10 crore), including the US (35.14 crore), Indonesia (22.99 crore), Pakistan (22.51 crore), Brazil (21.91 crore), Bangladesh (16.22 crore), Nigeria (15.47 crore), Russia (14.14 crore), Mexico (12.65 crore) and Japan (2.64 crore).

“We expect 10 crore devotees to arrive in the fair area on Mauni Amavasya. All arrangements have been made keeping this number in mind,” said Vijay Kiran Anand, district magistrate, (mela adhikari) of Mahakumbh Nagar.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
K Sandeep Kumar
K. Sandeep Kumar is Senior Assistant Editor and Bureau Head of Hindustan Times in Prayagraj, where he leads the newspaper's editorial coverage across the region. With more than 25 years of experience in journalism, he has built a reputation for credible, in-depth and impact-driven reporting on Uttar Pradesh's governance, politics, education, agriculture, science and technology, defence, infrastructure and development. Over the course of his career, Sandeep has consistently broken and tracked stories that have shaped public discourse, with a particular focus on policy, public institutions and issues that directly affect people's lives. His reporting combines rigorous fieldwork with data-backed analysis, making complex subjects accessible to a wide readership. He has also written extensively on human-interest stories that spotlight resilience, innovation and social change across urban and rural Uttar Pradesh. As Prayagraj Bureau Head, he mentors reporters, drives editorial planning and ensures comprehensive coverage of one of India's most politically and culturally significant regions. His work is marked by accuracy, balance and context, reflecting a commitment to public-interest journalism and high editorial standards. Through his reporting, Sandeep continues to chronicle the evolving social, economic and political landscape of Uttar Pradesh while delivering insightful and reliable journalism for Hindustan Times readers.Read More

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