India is beginning the six-week-long Maha Kumbha Mela, or Festival of Pots, a Hindu sacred event that will be the worldʼs largest gathering of people in one place.
This is reported by Reuters.
In the northern city of Prayagraj, more than 400 million people will gather to take a dip at the confluence of three sacred rivers — the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical, invisible Saraswati. Hindus believe that immersion in the sacred waters frees people from sins and, during the Kumbh Mela, also brings salvation from the cycle of life and death.
Organizing the Maha Kumbh Mela is a great test for the authorities and an opportunity to demonstrate Indiaʼs ability to manage crowds of millions of people while preserving the sanctity of the ancient rite.
About 4 000 hectares of land along the river banks were turned into a temporary city, housing 150 000 tents, 3 000 kitchens, 145 000 toilets, and 99 parking lots.
Indian Railways has launched 98 special trains that will run 3 300 trips during the festival to transport everyone who wants to attend the festival.
The police will involve 40 000 law enforcement officers and cybercrime experts, who have already created a surveillance network based on artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate crowds.
The state government, where the festival will be held, has allocated $765 million for it.
- The Maha Kumbha Mela is associated with an ancient legend of a battle between gods and demons for a jug (kumbha) containing the nectar of immortality. During the battle, drops of nectar fell on four places, which are today the venues of the festival. The Maha Kumbha Mela is held once every 12 years at one of the four sacred places.
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