The world's largest religious congregation 'Maha Kumbh', which inches towards closure on Wednesday, has already drawn over 65 crore devotees in the last 45 days. A multitude of pilgrims have taken holy dip at the Triveni Sangam since as early as 2am, on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri.
According to government data, by 2 am on Wednesday, over 11.66 lakh devotees immersed themselves in the Sangam on Mahashivratri, which marks the last day of the Kumbh. The number surged to 25.64 lakh in the next two hours and 41.11 lakh by 6 am. By 10 am, 81.09 lakh people had taken the final 'snan' at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers.
Prayagraj not only welcomed crores of devotees but thanks to Maha Kumbh, it also attracted multiple brands with the mega religious festival proving to a powerful economic driver. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently said that the Maha Kumbh will help the state's economy grow by over Rs 3 lakh crore.
Here's a look at the big numbers as Maha Kumbh culminates with the last holy dip at Sangam on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri -
65 crore & counting ...
The mega religious gathering has drawn a record 65 crore pilgrims so far. Being the last auspicious 'snan' of the Maha Kumbh, a large number of devotees had begun to gather on the banks of the Sangam from close to midnight.
Maha Shivratri commemorates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds special significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a crucial 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. Hence, Maha Shivratri is drawing large crowds of devotees to the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati.
The Maha Kumbh turnout has been so massive, it has surpassed the populations of most nations. Only China and India have populations that exceed the number of devotees who have already visited Maha Kumbh.
Key bathing days like Mauni Amavasya saw an overwhelming 8 crore devotees (the highest single-day turnout), with other significant days such as Makar Sankranti drawing 3.5 crore pilgrims. While 3.5 crore people gathered on Makar Sankranti (January 14), over 2 crore people took the dip on January 30 and February 1, and 1.7 crore on Paush Purnima (January 13).
The UP government's estimate was 45 crore devotees, which Maha Kumbh surpassed over two weeks back. With 70 lakh attending the Rio Carnival, 25 lakh at Haj, and 72 lakh at Oktoberfest, the Maha Kumbh 2025 stands unmatched with over 65 crore devotees having already visited.
Rs 3 lakh crore revenue generation
The government spent Rs 7,500 crore for the 45-day mega religious event and UP CM Yogi projected a massive Rs 3 lakh crore economic boost to the state's economy through Maha Kumbh.
"The potential of Uttar Pradesh which the world is witnessing today can be linked to the Maha Kumbh Mela. The Maha Kumbh alone is going to help the economy of UP grow by over Rs 3 lakh crore," CM Yogi said responding to a query by Samajwadi Party MLA Ragini Sonkar.
Doing a quick math to support the claim, advisor to CM Yogi and former IAS officer Awanish Awasthi said, "The worth of this financial activity could be an underestimation of the actual figure. If one pilgrim spends Rs 8,000 for Maha Kumbh, the number would cross Rs 3.2 lakh crore going by the expected footfall".
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) also backed the figures. "Maha Kumbh will witness large-scale economic and trade activities. An estimate suggests that with an average expenditure of Rs 5,000 per person during religious travel, the total spending will exceed Rs 2 lakh crore. This includes spending on hotels, guesthouses, temporary accommodations, food, religious items, healthcare, and other services” Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general of CAIT, told ANI.
100 kilometers of fabric, 3k workers
This year's tent city boasts some mind-boggling numbers. For the setting up of the tents - ranging from basic to luxurious accommodations - approximately 68 lakh wooden poles have been used. Their cumulative length (with average length of pole being 10 feet) surpasses the distance between Prayagraj and Washington DC, covering over 20,726 kilometers.
An estimated 100 kilometers of fabric was utilized, and 250 tonnes of CGI sheets were used for roofing. For months, 3,000 labourers worked in three shifts to craft these immense resources into structures. Despite being a 45-day event, setting up the tent city requires six months.
50k cops, 2,700 AI cameras & more
In order to handle and manage the massive influx of devotees, a robust seven-tier security arrangement has been in place at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.
According to Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar, around 50,000 police personnel and cybercrime experts created a web of surveillance powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to protect and help navigate the sea of humanity at the site. From the outer cordon to the inner sanctum, a seven-tier security system has been implemented.
He said that over 1,000 police personnel including 71 inspectors, 234 sub-inspectors, and 645 constables, have been deployed to man 102 checkpoints along seven routes connecting Prayagraj district to neighbouring districts.
The police also roped in advanced technology, including underwater drones and AI-enabled cameras. A total of 2,700 AI (artificial intelligence) cameras have been installed around the Kumbh area, and 113 underwater drones are monitoring the waterways. This state-of-the-art underwater drone can dive up to 100 metres and are capable of transmitting real-time activity reports.
Kumar said that UP Police is investing heavily in infrastructure and disaster management for the first time. He revealed that approximately Rs 200 crore was dedicated to acquiring essential equipment for disaster management, fire safety and drowning prevention.
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