Hundreds of thousands of devotees gathered at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on Wednesday for the final holy dip of Maha Kumbh 2025, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri. This sacred ritual marks the culmination of the six-week-long grand religious gathering.

Mahashivratri, which celebrates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, holds deep spiritual significance, especially in the context of the Kumbh Mela. The festival, observed once every 12 years, is believed to grant salvation to those who take a dip in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers.

Hindu mythology associates Lord Shiva with the legendary Samudra Manthan, or the churning of the ocean, which led to the emergence of the Amrit Kumbh, the sacred nectar central to the Kumbh Mela.

The holy confluence witnessed an overwhelming turnout, with lakhs of devotees braving the early morning hours to participate in the final ritual bath. As per official figures, by 2 am, over 11.66 lakh pilgrims had taken the sacred dip. This number surged to 25.64 lakh within the next two hours, and by 6 am, it had nearly doubled, reaching 41.11 lakh. The overall attendance is expected to cross one crore by the end of the day.

Ahead of the final bath, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his greetings and prayers to the devotees. Taking to social media, he expressed his wishes for the saints, pilgrims, and ‘Kalpvasis’ gathered at the holy site. “Heartfelt greetings to all revered saints, Kalpvasis, and devotees taking the sacred dip at Triveni Sangam on Mahashivratri, a day dedicated to Lord Shiva at Maha Kumbh-2025, Prayagraj. May Lord Shiva and the holy river Ganga bless everyone. Har Har Mahadev,” he posted.

Many devotees arrived at the ghats around midnight, camping along the banks and waiting for the Brahma Muhurt, considered the most auspicious time for the ritual bath. Several pilgrims performed their ablutions much before the designated period, reaffirming their deep faith in the sacred tradition.

Maha Kumbh 2025 featured six significant bathing dates: Paush Purnima (January 13), Makar Sankranti (January 14), Mauni Amavasya (January 29), Basant Panchami (February 3), Maghi Purnima (February 12), and Mahashivratri (February 26). These included three Amrit Snans, considered the holiest dips of the festival.

On Tuesday alone, an estimated 1.33 crore devotees participated in the holy dip at Sangam and other ghats within the Mela grounds, bringing the total footfall for the event beyond 65 crore, as per Uttar Pradesh government reports.

To ensure safety and smooth proceedings, security forces maintained a high level of vigilance throughout the night. Personnel from the police, paramilitary forces, and disaster management units were strategically deployed to manage the swelling crowds at Mahakumbh Nagar and along the riverbanks.

The influx of pilgrims caused heavy movement across railway stations, roads, and city entry points. Authorities implemented extensive security measures, including surveillance drones, AI-equipped CCTV cameras, and real-time monitoring at control centers. Emergency response units and medical teams were stationed at key locations, with disaster response teams on standby.

Considering the enormous scale of the gathering, officials enforced a ‘no vehicle zone’ across the Mela area and in parts of Prayagraj to ensure orderly crowd movement. The North Eastern Railway (NER) responded to the increased demand by operating additional trains and enhancing security at key stations. According to NER CPRO Pankaj Kumar Singh, 60 trains, including regular, ring rail, long-distance, and special Mela trains, operated until 4 pm on February 25, with 25 additional special trains running on Mahashivratri.

With the grand culmination of Maha Kumbh 2025, devotees and pilgrims have once again reaffirmed their faith and commitment to this timeless spiritual tradition, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.