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Animal symbols to help devotees locate parking lots at Magh Mela
For Magh Mela 2026, 43 parking lots with unique animal symbols will help devotees easily identify their spots, preventing confusion and ensuring smooth movement.
To prevent confusion and ensure smooth movement during the Magh Mela 2026, authorities have introduced an innovative system for identifying parking areas. A total of 43 parking lots have been developed along various routes leading to the mela grounds, each marked with distinctive animal symbols to make them easily recognisable. The initiative aims to test the effectiveness of visual memory cues, helping devotees—especially those from rural areas—recall their parking spots effortlessly and avoid getting lost in the vast mela area.
According to mela officials, four parking lots have been designated for devotees arriving from Jaunpur, including Surdas marked with a kangaroo, Chini Mill with a lion, Old GT Kachhar with a swamp deer (barasingha), and Saraswati Parking with a cheetah. On the Rewa route, five parking lots have been earmarked, such as Ganjia village marked with a crow, Navprayagam 01 with an eagle, and Navprayagam 02 with an ostrich. For those coming from Varanasi, six parking lots have been set up, including Triveni Puram East marked with a camel, Triveni Puram West with a horse, and Chhatnag with a sheep. Similarly, three parking lots have been designated on the Mirzapur route, including DPS Kachhar marked with a rooster, Devrakh Upahar with a duck, and Omax Parking with a pigeon.
The Kanpur route has the highest number of parking lots—18 in total—featuring symbols like a heron at George Town Association Parking, a squirrel at CMP Degree College, and a rhinoceros at KP College Parking. On the Lucknow route, seven parking lots have been marked, including Colonelganj Inter College with a bat, Chhota Bhagara with a penguin, and Bakshi Bandh with a snail.
Mela Authority officials informed that the move comes after severe chaos during the Maha Kumbh 2025, when dozens of families forgot their parking locations, leaving vehicles stranded for weeks. Many were recovered and returned to owners only after the fair ended. The new system is expected to minimize such incidents and make the experience more convenient for millions of devotees.
