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Monalisa, IIT Baba to digital snan: 8 moments that went viral during Maha Kumbh 2025
The Mahakumbh Mela concluded in Prayagraj, featuring global attendance and viral highlights.
The world's largest spiritual gathering in Prayagraj, the Mahakumbh Mela, ended today after a month and drew devotees from across the globe. But the grand event also witnessed jaw-dropping acts of devotion and bizarre yet hilarious incidents. Here's a list of the most viral moment from the Mahakumbh mela that gain popularity on social media.
1. Mona Lisa at Kumbh
A garland seller from Madhya Pradesh became an overnight sensation after photos of her dusky skin and amber eyes captivated the internet. Monalisa Bhosle, a 16-year-old from Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh took the internet by storm and rising to fame has led her to be cast in a prominent role in an upcoming film.
A post shared by Shivam Lakhara (@shivam_bikaneri_official)
2. Digital snan
A local entrepreneur sparked online buzz after he offered a ‘digital snan' service to devotees who could not make it to Prayagraj for Kumbh. He collected photographs of devotees through WhatsApp, prints them and immerses them at the Sangam. He charged ₹1,100 per person for this symbolic ritual.
3. Woman dunks phone in Sangam
A woman attempted her own version of a digital snan for her husband by dunking her phone in the Sangam water with her husband on a video call. A video showed the cheerful woman repeatedly dunking her phone into the water with the screen showing her husband on a video call.
A post shared by ❣️Shilpa Chauhan Up54❣️ (@adityachauhan7338)
4. Four generations of Ambanis at Kumbh
Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani and his family also reached Mahakumbh to take a holy dip in the Sangam. Mukesh Ambani along with sons Akash and Anant, their wives Shloka and Radhika and grandkids Veda and Prithvi reached Prayagraj. Mukesh Ambani's mother Kokilaben Ambani also arrived along with her two daughters – Dipti Salgaocar and Nina Kothari.
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh | Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani along with his family members visited #MahaKumbh2025 and took a holy dip at Triveni Sangam, in Prayagraj pic.twitter.com/YwQ9ncjG7I
— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2025
5. IIT Baba Abhay Singh
Abhay Singh, a former aerospace engineering student from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B), went viral as 'Engineer Baba' or 'IIT Baba' grabbing the attention of the devotees at the Mahakumbh. In an interview, he revealed that he lived in Canada for three years, earning ₹3 lakh per month but quit his promising career when he began to pursue spirituality. Recently, he faced backlash for predicting that India will not win against Pakistan in a Champions Trophy match but apologised after his prediction did not come true.
6. Trains flooded with devotees
The Mahakumbh Mela turned Indian railways into a sea of devotion, with trains overflowing with pilgrims eager to take a holy dip at the Sangam. Viral videos showed trains packed with pilgrims and some passengers even resorting to breaking windows to get inside trains. Other clips showed ticketless passengers lining AC coaches and swarming trains. Some locked themselves in toilets and others used windows to climb into coaches.
A group of angry devotees traveling to Mahakumbh resorted to stone pelting at Swatantrata Senani Express train at Madhubani railway station in Bihar, shattering windows and causing significant damage.
The agitated passengers resorted to this after being unable to board the… pic.twitter.com/tS10KUqaJJ
— Vicky Jaiswal (@vickypshiva) February 11, 2025
7. Sadhu beats YouTuber with tongs
Avideo from the Mahakumbh showed an angry sadhu in his tent being interviewed by a YouTuber. Irritated by his questions, struck the YouTuber with tongs and pushed him out of the tent. “Tumlog dekh rhe ho kya galat bola isney (Did you guys listen to what wrong he said)?” the sadhu was heard saying before he chased the YouTuber out of his hut. Several videos of the same sadhu hitting other reporters and content creators with tongs surfaced over the weeks.
A post shared by Janta 🙏Darbar (@janta_darbaar123)
8. NASA scientist shares unique Kumbh view
NASA astronaut Donald Pettit shared stunning photographs of Prayagraj lit up for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 from the International Space Station. “2025 Maha Kumbh Mela Ganges River pilgrimage from the ISS at night. The largest human gathering in the world is well lit,” he wrote.
2025 Maha Kumbh Mela Ganges River pilgrimage from the ISS at night. The largest human gathering in the world is well lit. pic.twitter.com/l9YD6o0Llo
— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) January 26, 2025
