Maha Kumbh Mela, world’s largest religious gathering, comes to a close

PRAYAGRAJ, India — The Maha Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest spiritual gathering, ended Wednesday. Over six weeks, more than 400 million people visited the Indian city of Prayagraj to bathe at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, which Hindus consider sacred. Sages in loincloths, gurus in saffron robes and ordinary devotees descended on Prayagraj. There were pontoon bridges and dinghies for crossing the water, roads made of steel planks and tents to rest in.

To make room for so many attendees, the government built a pop-up city of about 15 square miles on the river bed. There were also luxury tents for wealthy pilgrims, with bathrooms, food and even heating.

Pilgrims came to the Kumbh Mela by the millions. Entire villages of devotees, families and friends, the young, the infirm, traveled by bus, air, train and even on foot in pursuit of blessings and salvation. The 2025 event was considered especially auspicious because of a rare celestial alignment. That, and a big advertising push by the government, led to a huge turnout.

Crowd control was perhaps the biggest challenge of the Kumbh Mela. Police officers used sophisticated technology to monitor the flow of traffic so that personnel on the ground could redirect pilgrims if an area was getting overcrowded. But that system could not prevent a stampede Jan. 29 as pilgrims rushing toward the water collided with those emerging from it. At least 30 people died, and many more were injured.

Pulling off an event like this is itself an act of faith. Government officials oversee the construction of the makeshift city in just months, making sure there are functioning toilets; trash collection; areas for bathing, washing and cooking; doctors on call; tents and open space for those who sleep on the ground. Many pilgrims are poor. The grounds this year were dotted with places serving simple, vegetarian meals at no charge.

Some pilgrims brought their own food or purchased crispy snacks, hot tea, cotton candy or halwa from vendors. Groups that follow various strands of Hinduism also offered free meals to all. Many people also bought plastic bottles from roadside vendors to fill with Ganges water to take home.

Hindus believe that a dip at the spot where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers unite, along with a third, mythical river called the Saraswati, will cleanse them of sins and help them attain salvation. Those who bathe during the Kumbh Mela are considered lucky. In Prayagraj, the devout offered prayers every day, engaging in special rituals at times considered especially holy.

The Kumbh Mela is centuries old. For decades, it was left largely to different orders of Hindu holy men to run. Governments got involved to bring order and organizational support. Faith and tradition remain at the core of the festival, but the current government used savvy packaging, digital technology and social media messaging to market it as a must-see attraction.

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