Over 54,000 lost devotees find their way back to loved ones at Maha Kumbh

The next Kumbh Mela will be held in 2027 in Nashik, Maharashtra

Over 54,000 people who were separated from their loved ones during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh mela in Prayagraj were reunited with their families, news agency ANI reported.

With its divine, magnificent, and well-planned execution, Mahakumbh 2025 became a historic event that attracted an unprecedented 66 crore devotees. Amid the sea of devotees, many got separated from their loved ones. However, thanks to the UP administration working under the state government, 54,357 separated individuals were successfully reunited with their families.

According to the report, a large number of individuals who got united with their loved ones were women. The reuniting devotees were from different states of India and even Nepal.

A key highlight was the ‘Digital Khoya Paya Kendra’, which was setup by the state government to facilitate the swift reunion of devotees. The establishment led to more than 35,000 separated devotees meeting their families. A total of ten digital Khoya Paya Kendra were set up across the Mahakumbh area. These centres featured state-of-the-art AI-based facial recognition systems, machine learning, and multilingual support.

During the Amrit Snan Parv on Makar Sankranti (January 13-15), 598 individuals were reunited, 8,725 people were reconnected during Mauni Amavasya (January 28-30), and 864 devotees were reunited during Basant Panchami (February 2-4). Additionally, the report claimed that 24,896 individuals who got separated during other bathing festivals and on regular days were reunited, bringing the total to 35,083 by the end of Mahakumbh.

The efforts of non-governmental social organisations, led by Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Smriti Samiti and Bharat Seva Kendra, were equally praiseworthy. By the end of the event, 19,274 lost people had been reunited with their families, according to Umesh Chandra Tiwari, Director of Bharat Seva Kendra's Bhoole Bhatke Camp. All 18 of the reported missing children were also securely reunited with their families, he informed.

The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, one of the world's largest religious gatherings, concluded last week after 45 days of celebration in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj.

This year, the Maha Kumbh set a new record for almost 66 crore devotees taking a dip in the Triveni Sangami. It is said that the Kumbh Mela hosted twice as many pilgrims as the population of the US, which was around 34 crore.

The next Kumbh Mela will be held in 2027 in Nashik, Maharashtra. The religious event will be held at Trimbakeshwar, approximately 38 km from Nashik.