During the 45-day Maha Kumbh festival, an average of 1.5 crore devotees bathed at the Sangam, achieving several Guinness World Records, including the largest river clean-up and most volunteers in a cleanliness drive. Prominent visitors included President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson also participated but faced challenges due to allergies. However, a tragic stampede on January 29 killed 30 and injured 60, prompting political criticism of the BJP. The event, rotating between four holy sites in India, experienced multiple fires but remained a major religious gathering.
Photo Credit: PTI
Over the course of the 45-day celebration, an average of 1.5 crore devotees immersed themselves in the Sangam. The Maha Kumbh isn’t merely a festival but a rich tapestry of stories, traditions, and people, setting multiple Guinness World Records. These include records for the largest simultaneous river clean-up, the highest number of volunteers involved in a single-site cleanliness initiative, and the largest group of participants creating handprint paintings within an eight-hour timeframe, according to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Office.
Numerous prominent figures and politicians, such as President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attended Maha Kumbh and took part in the sacred immersion at the Sangam. Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, was also present on the inaugural day but was unable to participate in the holy dip due to allergies. Additionally, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and actress Dakota Johnson visited Prayagraj during their tour of India and took a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam.
This revered occasion rotates among four significant locations in India: Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik, and Prayagraj, all positioned alongside sacred rivers—the Ganges, Shipra, Godavari, and the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the legendary Sarasvati at Prayagraj.
Photo Credit: PTI
Stampede and Incidents at Maha Kumbh
On January 29, a tragic stampede occurred in the Sangam area as devotees crowded together to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most sacred days. The incident resulted in the death of at least 30 individuals and injuries to 60 others. Since this event, the opposition has been vocally criticizing the BJP, demanding accountability and a comprehensive list of the deceased.
Several fires also broke out during the 45 days of the event, leading to minor injuries for one or two individuals.