Next year's Mahakumbh will be a grand affair with divine essence: UP Minister

Emphasising that the government is taking significant steps to ensure the event is historic with international participation and state-of-the-art facilities, Mr Khanna said the Mahakumbh embodies the spirit of India's cultural and spiritual consciousness and is a divine and vibrant representation of “Ek Bharat- Shreshtha Bharat-Samaveshi Bharat” (One India, Great India, Inclusive India).

Mr Khanna said: “This year’s Mahakumbh will surpass the previous one in both grandeur and divine essence. Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025 is expected to welcome over 45 crore pilgrims, saints, ascetics, and tourists. In preparation, the Uttar Pradesh government has made meticulous and timely arrangements.”

The minister further said approximately 45 crore devotees are expected to attend Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025, marking a significant milestone and technologies will be used to count every individual.

“The first method is attribute based search, where tracking will be conducted using person attribute search cameras. The second method involves RFID wristbands, which will be provided to the pilgrims. Through these wristbands, entry and exit times will be tracked using RFID readers," Mr Khanna said, adding that the third method is mobile app tracking, where with the consent of pilgrims, their location will be tracked through GPS using a mobile application.

Mr Khanna noted that the Mahakumbh will take place in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26, 2025, on the sacred banks of the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers.

Mr Khanna pointed out that it would be a clean, healthy, safe and digital Mahakumbh and a pledge has been taken to make the event environment friendly by declaring it a single-use plastic-free Mahakumbh.

Mr Khanna said the Uttar Pradesh government is committed to organising a divine, grand, and digital Mahakumbh and this includes the launch of a dedicated website and app, an AI-powered chatbot in 11 languages, QR-based passes for people and vehicles.

Providing details about the arrangements, Mr Khanna said that 35 existing permanent ghats and nine new ghats have been constructed in the Mahakumbh city to facilitate bathing for devotees.

Aerial flower showers will be carried out across all 44 ghats spread over a 12-km area. A riverfront, modelled after Mumbai’s Marine Drive, has been developed along a 15.25-kilometer stretch on the banks of the Ganga, extending from the Sangam to Nagvasuki Temple, Surdas to Chhatnag, and near Curzon Bridge to Mahavir Puri,” Mr Khanna said.