400 million pilgrims expected at world's largest religious festival in India

Held every 12 years at Prayagraj, the festival will run from January 13 to February 26

Preparations are underway for the 2024 Kumbh Mela, an ancient Hindu religious festival expected to draw 400 million pilgrims over six weeks, making it the largest gathering in recorded history.

Held every 12 years at Prayagraj, where the holy Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers meet, the festival will run from January 13 to February 26, coinciding with a rare planetary alignment.

The event is considered a sacred opportunity for devotees to cleanse themselves of sins and attain spiritual liberation, or "moksha."

Authorities are building a temporary city spanning 4,000 hectares (15 square miles) on the floodplains of Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad.

The site, two-thirds the size of Manhattan, will include 150,000 toilets, 68,000 LED lighting poles, and massive community kitchens capable of feeding 50,000 people at a time.

“We are expecting 350 to 400 million devotees, so you can imagine the scale of preparations,” said Vivek Chaturvedi, spokesperson for the festival. “What makes this event unique is its magnitude and the fact that no invitations are sent—everyone comes on their own, driven by pure faith.”

The Kumbh Mela has roots in Hindu mythology. According to legend, deities and demons once fought over a pitcher ("kumbh") of nectar granting immortality. Four drops of the nectar fell to Earth, with one landing in Prayagraj.

The festival rotates among four cities, but the Prayagraj Kumbh is the largest. This year’s event, dubbed the "Maha" Kumbh Mela, follows the 2019 "Ardh" or half Kumbh, which drew 240 million attendees.

The spectacle will feature naked naga sadhus—wandering ascetics—leading the first ceremonial dip into the sacred waters on January 13. “Whatever you long for in your heart, you get at Kumbh,” said Digambar Ramesh Giri, a 90-year-old naga sadhu.

In addition to religious preparations, Prayagraj has seen significant infrastructure upgrades. Posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, both from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are prominently displayed, highlighting the intertwined nature of politics and religion in India.

The Kumbh Mela remains a powerful symbol of faith and tradition, drawing millions to witness and participate in one of the world’s most extraordinary gatherings.