According to the government, over 92 lakh devotees took a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh by 6 PM on Friday alone, bringing the total footfall to over 50 crore as of February 14.
Table of Contents
More than 500 million devotees have participated in a sacred bathing ritual at the Triveni Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh as of Friday evening, surpassing the combined populations of the United States and Russia, according to government reports.
This event is noted as the “largest gathering” in human history for any religious, cultural, or social occasion, as stated by the state government, which is organizing the grand fair in Prayagraj.
The Uttar Pradesh government’s announcement further indicated that the number of attendees at this Hindu pilgrimage has exceeded the population figures of all nations except for India and China.
Taking place once every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh commenced on January 13 and is set to continue until February 26 at the Triveni Sangam, the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, which hold significant religious importance for Hindus. Despite a tragic stampede on January 29, the fair has consistently attracted millions of pilgrims from both India and abroad on a daily basis.
As reported by the government, over 9.2 million devotees had bathed by 6 PM on Friday alone, contributing to the overall attendance at the Maha Kumbh exceeding 500 million as of February 14.
Nations such as the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have populations that are smaller than the number of individuals who have participated in the sacred rituals of Sanatan Dharma, as stated by the government.
The US Census Bureau reports that the ten most populous countries in the world are India (1,419,316,933), China (1,407,181,209), the United States (342,034,432), Indonesia (283,587,097), Pakistan (257,047,044), Nigeria (242,794,751), Brazil (221,359,387), Bangladesh (170,183,916), Russia (140,134,279), and Mexico (131,741,347). It is noted that only India and China exceed the number of devotees present at the Maha Kumbh, while countries like the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Brazil are significantly behind in this regard.
Following this remarkable achievement, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed on social media that the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, a vibrant emblem of India’s spirituality, unity, equality, and harmony, has witnessed over 500 million devotees taking a holy dip in the sacred Triveni thus far.
“Out of India’s total population of 1.1 billion, more than 500 million citizens adhere to Sanatan Dharma. The participation of over 500 million individuals in the holy dip at the Sangam is a profound manifestation of the highest human values and signifies a deep-seated faith in the great Sanatan. This truly represents the Amrit Kaal of India’s collective faith,” he remarked on X.
I extend my sincere greetings to all esteemed seers, religious leaders, ascetics, and devotees who have participated in this significant ‘Yajna’ of unity and faith.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in the successful organization of this monumental festival of humanity, including the Maha Kumbh Mela administration, local authorities, police, sanitation workers, voluntary organizations, religious institutions, boatmen, and all central and state government departments associated with the Maha Kumbh,” Adityanath concluded.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said
Akhilesh Yadav, the president of the Samajwadi Party, criticized the “insufficient infrastructure” for the significant event, asserting that it has revealed the exaggerated claims made by the Adityanath administration.
He stated that if the infrastructure had been as robust as asserted, and if preparations for a crowd of 100 crore were genuine, the numerous transportation challenges would not have arisen.
“Tragic losses occurred, individuals endured great hardship, and many devotees were ensnared in traffic congestion. This situation affected not only the visiting pilgrims but also local residents who experienced considerable distress,” he claimed during a press conference in Varanasi.
The former chief minister further accused the government of obscuring the true number of fatalities during the fair, asserting, “The deaths are not limited to those caused by the stampede; numerous pilgrims attending for darshan and aarti have also perished, yet the government is withholding this information.”
When questioned by reporters regarding the state government’s assertion that over 50 crore pilgrims had attended Kumbh, Yadav responded with sarcasm, “I predict that in a few days, they will raise the figure to 60 crore, but they have yet to provide an official list of those who died in the stampede.” Prior to the commencement of the Maha Kumbh, the government had projected attendance to be between 40 crore and 45 crore. On Friday, it announced that the numbers could exceed 60 crore, given that the fair still has 12 days remaining and a special bathing date on February 26.
On January 29, a record eight crore devotees participated in the holy bath at Maha Kumbh in a single day, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya.
The early hours of January 29 were also marred by a stampede at Sangam, resulting in the deaths of 30 pilgrims and injuries to another 60, as reported by official sources.
On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, approximately 35 million devotees engaged in the Amrit Snan. More than 20 million individuals participated in the bathing rituals on January 30 and February 1. During Paush Purnima, around 17 million devotees partook in the sacred dip. On Basant Panchami, the ritual bathing attracted 25.7 million devotees.
The prominent bathing festival of Magh Purnima also recorded the participation of over 20 million devotees at Triveni Sangam, as reported by government officials.
In a related development, officials announced that a world record was established at the Maha Kumbh on Friday, with more than 300 sanitation workers involved in the cleaning of the Ganga at various ghats.
Representatives from Guinness World Records are set to verify the entire process, and upon certification of the record, an official certificate will be issued, according to the officials.
