Mon Feb 03 05:18:29 UTC 2025: ## Millions Participate in Maha Kumbh’s Grandest Holy Dip Despite Previous Stampede

**Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India** – Hundreds of thousands of devotees participated in the Amrit Snan, the grandest ritual of the Maha Kumbh Mela, on Monday, Basant Panchami. Over 62.25 lakh (6.225 million) pilgrims had taken the holy dip by 8 am, according to the Uttar Pradesh Information Department, with a total exceeding 35 crore (350 million) since the mela began. Authorities anticipate a final total exceeding 50 crore (500 million) pilgrims by the Mela’s conclusion in 23 days.

This year’s Amrit Snan followed a “zero-error” directive from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, issued in response to a deadly stampede on January 29th that resulted in at least 30 deaths and over 60 injuries. The Chief Minister personally visited Prayagraj to inspect the site and hospitals following the incident, and expressed his best wishes to all participants on Monday.

The Amrit Snan, a sacred ritual where devotees bathe in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers, saw various Akhadas (religious orders) participating in a predetermined sequence. Extensive crowd control measures, overseen by senior officials with experience from the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, were implemented, including the deployment of over 3,000 CCTV cameras and a Kumbh Command and Control Centre monitoring the entire mela area.

The Maha Kumbh Mela, which is held once every 12 years, continues with three more major bathing dates scheduled. Devotees believe that bathing during these auspicious times brings spiritual cleansing and salvation. Despite the previous tragedy, the event proceeded with a significantly heightened security presence to ensure the safety of the millions of attendees.

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