Surge of devotees: 29th day and still counting at Mahakumbh

Sunday became the 29th day in continuation for an average over a crore devotees arriving daily for taking the holy dip in the ongoing Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj. The trend of an average over a crore devotees bathing in Mahakumbh every day started from January 26 onwards.

The mela, just three days away from its formal end on February 26, with the sixth and last of bathing of Mahashivaratri on Wednesday, the rate of arrival of devotees in a trend reversal is still going strong.

Till previous Kumbh Mela 2019, rate of arrival of devotees after the last Amrit Snan of Basant Panchami dropped gradually as all 13 Akhadas left the mela area after the same.

Till 4pm on Sunday, 1.03 crore devoteeshad already taken the holy dip. Till 8pm on Saturday, 60.74 crore devotees had bathed in Mahakumbh since its beginning on January 13.

At 8 am on Sunday, records revealed, 31.70 lakh devotees had bathed in Sangam waters which increased to 51.73 lakh at 10am, 70.92 lakh at 12noon, 87.73 lakh at 2pm, 1.03 crore at 4pm and 1.18 crore by 6pm.

All through the day, devotees kept walking towards Mela area from different entry routes in Naini, Phaphamau, Dhoomanganj, Ghurpur, Jhunsi, etc.

In mela area also, police had a tough time diverting devotees on the one-way route made for their smooth movement. The devotees after taking the holy dip at Sangam returned through the Triveni marg via Fort road crossing and Jawahar Lal Nehru road.

The mela administration also reviewed the preparations for the sixth and last bathing of Mahashivaratri. District magistrate, Mahakumbh Nagar Vijay Kiran Anand accompanied by other mela administration officials carried out an on-the-spot review of arrangements including proposed route for arrival and return of devotees on Wednesday.

Traffic jam as usual was witnessed at all entry points of city as devotees kept arriving for taking the holy dip in Sangam.