Lakhs of devotees braved the bitter cold to take a holy dip in the Sangam as the Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious gathering, kicked off on Monday.
The sheer size and scale of the Maha Kumbh have captured widespread attention over the last few days, with the mega gathering this year expected to attract nearly 40-45 crore people over a span of 45 days.
According to various estimates, Maha Kumbh's budget stands at nearly Rs 6,382 crore and the event is expected to generate Rs 25,000 crore in revenue for the state.
However, the Uttar Pradesh government had earlier said that Maha Kumbh could generate not less than Rs 2 lakh crore over the next 1.5 months.
Advisor to chief minister Yogi Adityanath and former IAS officer Awanish Awasthi did a quick maths to support the claim. "
"The worth of this financial activity could be an underestimation of the actual figure. If one pilgrim spends Rs 8,000 for Mahakumbh, the number would cross Rs 3.2 lakh crore going by the expected footfall," he said.
Kumbh Mela Nodal Officer Vijay Anand said that the Uttar Pradesh government is projected to earn over Rs 25,000 crore through taxes, rentals, and other charges from the event.
However, the total financial transactions at the mela site are anticipated to be significantly higher, ranging between Rs 2 lakh crore and Rs 3 lakh crore.
"The earnings of small-scale vendors, such as tempo operators, rickshaw pullers, flower sellers at temple sites, those selling memorabilia, boat operators, and even hotels, will contribute significantly to the local economy. The entire ecosystem around the Kumbh Mela is expected to experience a massive economic boom," he added.
According to a report in the NDTV, the event is expected to boost both nominal and real GDP by over 1 per cent.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has also backed these figures, saying that Maha Kumbh is expected to generate trade worth approximately Rs 2 lakh crore.
“Mahakumbh 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.
The origins of Kumbh Mela trace back to a myth about a battle between gods and demons over a Kumbh (pitcher) of nectar that emerged during the churning of the ocean.
During the battle for the elixir of immortality, a few drops fell in four cities—Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nasik. The fight lasted for 12 celestial years, each equating to 12 years on Earth.
As a result, the Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years in these cities, with an Ardh (half) Kumbh taking place between the full festivals.
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