Amidst the resonating chants of “Har Har Mahadev,” waves of pilgrims traveled from Gujarat to Karnataka on Wednesday to partake in a sacred dip at the Triveni Sangam, coinciding with Mahashivratri as the 45-day Maha Kumbh festival approached its conclusion.
This grand religious event, which occurs once every 12 years, commenced on January 13 (Paush Purnima) and featured vibrant processions of Naga Sadhus and three significant ‘Amrit Snans.’
The historic gathering has attracted over 650 million pilgrims to date, setting a record. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been supervising the ritual since early morning from Gorakhpur alongside senior officials.
In a message posted on X, the Chief Minister congratulated all the revered saints, Kalpvasis, and devotees who gathered for the holy dip on Mahashivratri, praising the worship of Lord Bholenath during the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, exclaiming, “Har Har Mahadev!”
According to official statistics, more than 1.16 million devotees had already immersed themselves in the Sangam by 2 a.m. This number rose dramatically to 2.56 million within two hours, nearly doubling to 4.11 million by 6 a.m.
As the last auspicious snan of the Maha Kumbh, many devotees began arriving at the banks of the Sangam around midnight, some camping and waiting for the ideal moment, referred to as ‘Brahma Muhurt,’ while others began their rituals ahead of schedule.
Recognized as the world’s largest spiritual gathering, the event on its final day drew pilgrims from every corner of the nation. Rajvir Singh Jhala, a 20-year-old BBA student from Rajkot, took the holy dip with his mother and family after traveling to Prayagraj from Gujarat by bus. He expressed, “For me, Lord Shiva embodies ‘Shunyata’; one must feel a sense of nothingness before him. True purity comes from within; merely bathing in the sacred Sangam cannot cleanse one’s sins if there is impurity inside.”
As pilgrims continued to gather at various ghats near the confluence, security personnel actively managed the crowds to prevent long-term congestion, ensuring safety amid the sea of attendees.
Pilgrims journeyed from diverse regions, including West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, reflecting the vastness of devotion across India. A group even traveled from Nepal to experience the Maha Kumbh on its closing day and partake in the holy dip.
Pinki Devi from Kolkata, who completed her bathing ritual around 3:30 a.m., expressed her joy at being able to take the holy dip on Mahashivratri, while many others joined in chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Mahakal,” enhancing the festive atmosphere at the Mela grounds.
Mahashivratri celebrates the divine union between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, holding special significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela. According to Hindu belief, Lord Shiva played a vital role in the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), which led to the emergence of the Amrit Kumbh (nectar pitcher), the very essence of the Kumbh Mela.
This significant day attracts vast crowds to the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, regarded as holy by Hindus. On Tuesday alone, approximately 13.3 million devotees bathed at the Sangam and nearby ghats, raising the overall attendance for Maha Kumbh 2025 to over 640 million, surpassing the total population of any country except India and China, both with populations exceeding a billion.
The Maha Kumbh has featured six special bathing dates—Paush Purnima on January 13, Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 29, Basant Panchami on February 3, Maghi Purnima on February 12, and Mahashivratri on February 26—along with three ‘Amrit Snan.’
Given the event’s enormous scale and the number of attendees, authorities implemented a no-vehicle policy within the mela area and Prayagraj and enforced strict crowd control measures to ensure a smooth conclusion to Maha Kumbh 2025.
DIG (Kumbh) Vaibhav Krishna reported substantial police presence in the Mela area, stating, “We are prepared to manage both the influx of devotees at the ghats, including Sangam, and ensure crowd management at the five principal shivalayas within the Mela grounds where devotees will present sacred waters to Lord Shiva.” He also noted that since Tuesday evening, the entire Mela area has been designated as a no-vehicle zone and emphasized that no preferential treatment would be given on Wednesday.
“We anticipate the footfall on Wednesday to exceed that of Tuesday, which saw 13.3 million devotees,” added the DIG.
