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Prayagraj is gearing up for an extraordinary event as the Mauni Amavasya snan on January 29 is expected to attract a crowd of 8 to 10 crore people. This makes it the largest human gathering ever for a single event in a single day. The snan is the second of the three Amrit snans during the Mahakumbh, and millions of devotees have already started arriving in the holy city.

Millions gather at Sangam

The Mahakumbh Mela area, spread across 4,000 hectares, is already packed with around 4 crore devotees. On Monday alone, over 1 crore people bathed in the sacred waters within 18 hours. Between 12 noon and 2 PM, approximately 21 lakh people took the holy dip, setting an hourly average of 10.48 lakh. By 6 PM, records showed that 1.18 crore devotees had bathed at the 48 ghats stretched across 12 kilometers.

With a floating population of 1.50 crore people and another 10 lakh Kalpwasis camping in the area, the city is teeming with pilgrims. The Mahakumbh administration has implemented several measures to manage the massive influx, including declaring the Mela area a no-vehicle zone and introducing zonal bathing plans to reduce overcrowding at the Sangam.

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Crowd management challenges

The influx of devotees has been overwhelming, with the arrival rate far exceeding the exit rate. Between January 25 and 26, an estimated 1.74 crore people took the holy dip, with an hourly average of 7.25 lakh. By January 26, the total number of pilgrims who had bathed during the Mahakumbh reached 13.21 crore, according to official data.

The administration is working tirelessly to ensure safety and order. Pontoon bridges near the Sangam are being closed as the area reaches capacity, while measures are being taken to manage the growing crowds on the Ganga’s opposite side, which houses camps of nearly 1,000 religious organizations and 13 monastic orders.

The Mauni Amavasya snan is expected to surpass the record set on February 4, 2019, when 5 crore people gathered at Sangam for the holy dip. With devotees flocking from across the country and the world, this year’s Mahakumbh promises to be a monumental event, showcasing the enduring faith and devotion of millions.