Indian officials have stated that they expect over 20 million people to participate in the first major bathing day of the Kumbh Mela festival in the northern city of Prayagraj. The day will commence with Naga Sadhus—naked Hindu saints covered in ash with matted dreadlocks—plunging into the icy waters at dawn.
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02-04, 2025The festival, held every 12 years, began on Monday, and over 16.5 million pilgrims have already bathed in the sacred river. Hindus believe that the bathing ritual washes away their sins, purifies their souls, and helps them achieve salvation by freeing them from the cycle of life and death.
Officials say they expect over 400 million people to attend the 45-day event, described as the largest gathering of humanity. The scale is so immense that it can even be seen from space. Tuesday's bathing ceremony, known as "Shahi Snan"—or Royal Bath—will see ascetics arrive in batches at the Sangam—the confluence of India's holiest rivers, the Ganges and Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati—in colorful processions. Their movements are a huge draw for people from all over India and the world, who come to seek their blessings.
Their presence also holds special significance for the general public, who believe that when the saints bathe in the river, the waters become infused with the purity of their thoughts and actions. Astrologers have determined six auspicious days for bathing based on the alignment of specific planets and constellations. These are: January 13: Paush Purnima; January 14: Makar Sankranti; January 29: Mauni Amavasya; February 3: Basant Panchami; February 12: Magh Purnima; and February 26: Maha Shivaratri. Among these, January 14, January 29, and February 3 are designated as "Shahi Snan" days for Naga Sadhus to bathe.
The largest gathering is expected on January 29, when between 50 and 60 million devotees are expected to take to the waters. Authorities have built a massive tent city covering 4,000 hectares on the riverbanks to accommodate the saints, pilgrims, and tourists attending the festival. Over the past few days, we have seen hordes of saints arriving at the gathering site in boisterous processions. Groups of ash-covered saints, some naked, some wearing only loincloths or marigold garlands around their necks, carrying tridents, swords, and small double-headed drums, have paraded through the streets. Another group was escorted to their camp by their leader in a chariot, in a large procession with bands, dancers, horses, and camels.
These groups, known as "akharas," have established huge camps that have been bustling with activity, as thousands of pilgrims come to listen to religious discourses or attend evening prayers. The festival’s origins are rooted in a myth about a battle between gods and demons for the "Kumbh" (a pot), containing nectar that emerged when the ocean was churned. As both sides fought over the elixir of immortality, a few drops spilled and landed in four cities—Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. The Kumbh Mela is held in all four cities, but the largest festival is always held in Prayagraj. The bathing dates and auspicious times are determined by astrologers based on the alignment of specific planets and constellations.
Hindu seer Mahant Ravindra Puri said that the rare planetary alignment this year makes this year’s festival “extra special” and “a Maha (great) Kumbh.” Mahant Puri will lead tens of thousands of saints from his "akhara" to bathe on Tuesday morning. “We believe that during the Kumbh Mela, the water of the holy river becomes filled with nectar,” he said. “Those who have faith, the goddess Ganga will bless them with what they want, what they need,” he added.
Besides the saints and ascetics, Tuesday’s bathing will also see millions of ordinary pilgrims head to the river. On Monday, at the gathering site, we met Chitiya Ahirwar from the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The 60-year-old, who was travelling with a group of 20, had bathed in the river in the morning and would bathe again on Tuesday. “I have prayed to the river goddess for the happiness and well-being of my children,” she said. Mavalaram Patel, a businessman from the southern state of Tamil Nadu, said he had heard a lot about the Kumbh Mela but had not had a chance to visit before. “The Kumbh Mela is part of our ancient tradition. It is one of the most important festivals in Hinduism,” he told the BBC.
Mr. Patel said he prayed to the river goddess for the "happiness and well-being" of his "family and the wider world," and planned to also take a dip in the river before leaving the city on Tuesday morning. “Visiting Prayagraj and bathing during the Kumbh Mela was on my long-time wish list, so I am happy to be here,” he said.
