Mahakumbh: Bathers’ count touches 52.96 cr @ over 1 crore per day, claims government

Over 52.96 crore devotees have bathed in the Triveni Sangam during the Mahakumbh, surpassing estimates and averaging over 1 crore daily.

Published on: Feb 17, 2025, 04:00:09 IST

By Kenneth John, MAHAKUMBH NAGAR (PRAYAGRAJ)

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Over a crore devotees, on average, have been bathing every day in the Triveni Sangam for the past 20 days from January 26 onwards, a trend never before witnessed in the history of the Kumbh Mela, according to claims made by the government.

A security personnel makes announcements to manage the rush of devotees during the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela 2025, in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, Saturday. (PTI)

The total count of bathers of over 52.96 crore so far has already surpassed the official estimation of 40 to 45 crore devotees who were expected to arrive at Mahakumbh by 10 per cent. Analysis of footfalls every day since the beginning of Mela shows that despite the stampede on Mauni Amavasya, devotees still kept arriving in large numbers daily. By 6 pm on Sunday, 1.36 crore devotees had bathed in the Triveni waters and the rate of influx continued without any drop.

On Sunday by 2 pm, the crowd strength crossed the 1 crore mark, as a heavy influx of devotees continued all through the day. The roads were jammed with devotees trekking 10 to 15 kilometres to reach the mela area from vehicle parking slots on the outskirts of city, contributing to the traffic snarls.

Also read: Akhilesh Yadav demands extension of Maha Kumbh: ‘There are elderly people’

In the past 20 days, the average figure of devotees taking a dip in Triveni Sangam remained above the 1 crore mark.

Official records revealed on January 26, 1.74 crore bathed in the Triveni waters followed by January 27 (1.18 crore), January 28 (4.99 crore), January 29 (7.64 crore), January 30 (2.06 crore), January 31 (1.82 crore) and February 1 (1.50 crore).

With 10 days remaining for the Mahakumbh to end, the influx rate of the crowd seems to maintain its pace with an average of over a crore continuing to pour in till today.

Also read: Mahakumbh: Over 2 crore devotees take holy dip on Maghi Purnima | Photos

Records revealed in the past 10 days since February 7 onwards, the count had continued to remain around or above the crore mark.

On February 7, 94.07 lakh devotees took the holy dip. The number swelled to 1.32 crore on February 8. The figure on subsequent dates was: February 9 (1.57 crore), February 10 (1.17 crore), February 11 (1.34 crore), February 12 (2.04 crore), February 13 (85.46 lakh), February 14 (96.98 lakh) and February 15 (1.36 crore). On February 16, the count of bathers was recorded at 1.49 crore. By 8pm on Sunday, the total count of devotees having bathed in the Triveni Sangam since the start of the Mahakumbh reached 52.96 crore.

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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