Date | 13 January – 26 February 2025 |
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Duration | 44 days |
Venue | Triveni Sangam |
Location | Prayagraj |
Coordinates | 26°25′52″N82°53′06″E / 26.431°N 82.885°E |
Also known as | Maha Kumbh Mela |
Type | Social practices |
Theme | Festive events |
Cause | Rituals |
Patrons | Ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis, and Pilgrims |
Organised by | Prayagraj Kumbh Mela Authority |
Website | kumbh |
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage |
Part of a series on |
Hinduism |
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The 2025 Prayag Kumbh Mela, also referred to as the 2025 Maha Kumbh, is the ongoing iteration of the Maha Kumbh Mela. It is scheduled to take place from 13 January to 26 February 2025, at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. This event marks the completion of a 12-Kumbh Mela cycle and is officially termed a Maha Kumbh Mela, spanning 45 days. [1]
Since the Kumbh Mela has been organized for ages and its commencement date is unknown, calculating the exact 144-year cycle is not certain. However, as per astronomical calculations, the 2025 Mahakumbh Mela is unique in itself since its constellation alignment is witnessed once every 144 years.Thus, the most auspicious of all the Maha Kumbh in the past 144 years is in 2025. [2] [3] [4] [5]
The Kumbh Melas are a significant Hindu pilgrimage observed in cycles of three, six, 12, and 144 years, held in rotation among four sites: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. [6] [7] The site of each Kumbh Mela is decided by the astrological alignment of Jupiter (Guru), Sun (Surya), and Moon (Chandra). [8] [9]
The Maha Kumbh Mela symbolises the victory of Gods over demons. [10] In 2025, the event started on 13 January and is expected to conclude on 26 February. [11] [12]
The Maha Kumbh Mela is the world's largest peaceful congregation of people. [13] This gathering contains millions of devotees immersing themselves in the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mystical Saraswati, waters of which are considered holy by the Hindus, symbolising a purification of the soul and a path to attaining Moksha or liberation. [14] The 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela has made preparations for the attendance of up to 400 million visitors [15] and will have visiting dignitaries from the United States, Israel, France, and other countries. [16] [17] [18]
Maha Kumbh's budget stands at nearly ₹ 64 billion ( ₹ 6,382 crore) and it is estimated that Maha Kumbh 2025 will generate a revenue of more than ₹ 2 trillion ( ₹ 2 lakh crore) for Uttar Pradesh. [19] [20]
The Maha Kumbh 2025 Mela will have advanced fire fighting vehicles as for protection against any fire related incidents. [21] [22] The Uttar Pradesh State Government will depute 500 dedicated Ganga Praharis to ensure the cleanliness of the river during Maha Kumbh. [23] Total cost of 83 project around mela area is estimated to be 1428.68 crore out of which 47 projects are completed by 15 November and rest are expected to be completed soon. [24] Artificial intelligence tools and chatbots are being used to assist tourists and pilgrims. [25]
Maha Kumbh 2025 Mela will be assisted by the "Mahakumbh Mela 2025 app" which has important locations of ghats, temples, and other major religious sites for the support of tourists and pilgrims. [26] Indian Railways has announced an increase in the number of coaches in key trains, such as the Prayagraj Express and Lucknow Mail, to accommodate the expected influx of pilgrims during the Mahakumbh 2025. [27]
The Maha Kumbh 2025 Mela will have established cleaning standards with one sweeper for every 10 toilets and one supervisor monitoring a batch of 10 sweepers. [28] The Prayagraj Mela Authority has engaged nearly 10,000 sanitation workers to ensure a clean Maha Kumbh. Under the Swachh Kumbh initiative, the Prayagraj Mela Authority has set up around 150,000 toilets and urinals in the Maha Kumbh area. A compact manual sweeping machine has also been deployed to clean paved ghats, footpaths, roads, and public places within the mela area. Apart from installation of 150,000 toilets and urinals, a QR code-based monitoring system is being launched to track sanitation level in toilets. [29]
To ensure the well-being of attendees, comprehensive medical facilities are being set up: [30]
Amrit Snan (transl. Nectar Baths) or Shahi Snan are being held as follows: [31] [32]
Date (Gregorian) | Date (Panchanga) | Bathing count | Occasion |
---|---|---|---|
13th January | First | Pausha Purnima | |
14th January | Second | Makara Sankranti | |
29th January | Third | Mauni Amavasya | |
3rd February | Fourth | Vasanta Panchami | |
12th February | Fifth | Magha Purnima | |
26th February | Sixth | Maha Shivaratri |
Kumbh Mela is an important Hindu pilgrimage, celebrated approximately every 6, 12 and 144 years, correlated with the partial or full revolution of Jupiter and representing the largest human gathering in the world.
Mahamandaleswar Shree Yamai Mamta Nand Giri formerly known as Mamta Kulkarni is an Indian former actress and model turned Hindu monk known for her work in Hindi cinema. She has appeared in commercially successful Hindi films such as Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), Krantiveer (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995), Andolan (1995), Baazi (1996), China Gate (1998) and Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller (2001). Her performance in Aashiq Awara (1993) won her the 1994 Filmfare Award for Lux New Face of the Year. In the blockbuster Karan Arjun, directed by Rakesh Roshan, Kulkarni starred alongside Salman Khan. She quit the film industry after her appearance in the film Kabhie Tum Kabhie Hum.
In Hindu tradition, Triveni Sangam is the confluence of three rivers that is a sacred place, with a bath here said to flush away all of one's sins and free one from the cycle of rebirth. Prayagraj Triveni Sangam is considered to be the most notable that is confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati.
Akhara or Akhada is an Indian word for a place of practice with facilities for boarding, lodging and training, both in the context of Indian martial artists or a sampradaya monastery for religious renunciates in Guru–shishya tradition. For example, in the context of the Dashanami Sampradaya sect, the word denotes both martial arts and religious monastic aspects of the trident-wielding martial regiment of the renouncing sadhus.
Prayagraj, formerly Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Prayagraj district, the most populous district in the state and 13th most populous district in India and the Prayagraj division. The city is the judicial capital of Uttar Pradesh with the Allahabad High Court being the highest judicial body in the state. As of 2011, Prayagraj is the seventh most populous city in the state, thirteenth in Northern India and thirty-sixth in India, with an estimated population of 1.53 million in the city. In 2011, it was ranked the world's 40th fastest-growing city. The city, in 2016, was also ranked the third most liveable urban agglomeration in the state and sixteenth in the country. Hindi is the most widely spoken language in the city.
Ganga Expressway is an under-construction, 1,047 km (651 mi) long, of which 594 km (369 mi) has been approved, 6-lane wide greenfield expressway in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is being constructed in two phases. Phase-1 will connect Bijauli village on NH-334 in Meerut district with Judapur Dandu village on NH-19 in Prayagraj district via Sarai Katiyan village on NH-27 in Kanpur, while Phase-2 will see the extension of both sides of the expressway: from Prayagraj to Ballia and from Meerut to Haridwar.
1954 Kumbh Mela stampede was a major crowd crush that occurred on 3 February 1954 at Kumbha Mela in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh state in India. It was the main bathing day of Mauni Amavasya, when the incident took place. 4–5 million pilgrims took part in the festival that year, which was also the first Kumbh Mela after India's Independence.
Short Cut to Nirvana: Kumbh Mela is a 2004 feature documentary film by Nick Day and Maurizio Benazzo about the 2001 Prayag Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj. The documentary premiered in the USA on May 11, 2004. The film won several awards on the festival circuit and played in theaters across the US and Europe.
Prayagraj Junction, formerly known as Allahabad Junction, is a railway station on the Howrah-Gaya-Delhi line,Howrah–Delhi main line, Prayagraj–Mau–Gorakhpur main line and Howrah–Prayagraj–Mumbai line. It is the headquarters of the North Central Railway zone. It is located in Prayagraj in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It serves Prayagraj and the surrounding areas.
This is a timeline of the history of the city of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Haridwar Kumbh Mela is a mela, associated with Hinduism and held in the city of Haridwar, India held every 12 years. The exact date is determined according to Hindu astrology: the Mela is held when Jupiter is in Aquarius and the Sun enters Aries. The event possesses deep religious significance to Hindus as well as other spiritual seekers. Historically, it was an important commercial event and was attended by merchants from as far as Arabia.
Ujjain Simhastha is a Hindu religious mela held every 12 years in the Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh, India. The name is also transliterated as Sinhastha or Singhastha. In Hindi, the fair is also called Simhasth or Sinhasth. The name derives from the fact that it is held when the Jupiter is in Leo.
The Prayag Kumbh Mela, also known as Allahabad Kumbh Mela, is a mela, or religious gathering, associated with Hinduism and held in the city of Prayagraj, India, at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati river. The festival is marked by a ritual dip in the waters, but it is also a celebration of community commerce with numerous fairs, education, religious discourses by saints, mass feedings of monks or the poor, and entertainment spectacle. Approximately 50 and 30 million people attended the Prayagraj Ardh Kumbh Mela in 2019 and Maha Kumbh Mela in 2013 respectively to bathe in the holy river Ganges, making them the largest peaceful gathering events in the world.
The 2019 Prayagraj Ardh Kumbh Mela was the Ardh Kumbh Mela held at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India from 15 January to 4 March 2019. This event will be followed by the Prayag Maha Kumbh scheduled for January to February 2025.
2013 Maha Kumbh Mela was held at convergence place of Ganga,Yamuna and Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj,Uttar Pradesh, as once in 12 years event as a 55 day event had attracted around 80 to 100 million visitors. It has a significance of being held once in 12 year period in Hindu Mythology as its believed that the battle for nectar between Gods and Demons lasted for 12 years. The event was also held in Haridawar,Ujjain and Nashik.
Kalpavas is a month-long spiritual tradition in Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) that involves a period of deep spiritual practice, austerity, and detachment from worldly life, practiced by staying near the bank of a holy river. In Hindu scriptures, Kalpavas is said to be the combination of Sanyaas and Vanprastha Ashram.
Maha Kumbh 2001 Mela was held at convergence place of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, was first in the millennium and was held from 9 January to 21 February attracting around 70 million visitors. The Kumbh mela was also auspicious considering it coincided with astrological planetary alignment occurring only once in 144 years. The event was help in 6000 acre area and also has a significance of being held once in 12 year period in Hindu Mythology as its believed that the battle for nectar between Gods and Demons lasted for 12 years. The event was also held in Haridawar,Ujjain and Nashik.
Kumbh Mela 2015 was a Hindu pilgrimage held in Nashik, Maharashtra, India and Trimbakeshwar, in the Indian state of Maharastra. Pilgrims numbered 80 lakhs to 1 crore and 25 to 30 lakhs respectively during the one year celebration. The festival is considered the largest gathering of people from across the world to undertake the holy bath. The festival is held every three years on rotational basis; it includes the cities of Ujjain and Prayagraj in addition to Nashik and hence each city gets a festival every 12 years.
Kumbh Mela 2021 was held in Haridwar from 14 January 2021 to 27 February 2021 with the attendance of 9.1 million pilgrims assembling from across the world.