A sea of devotees from across the country gathered at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri for the final holy dip of Maha Kumbh 2025. In the early hours of Wednesday, lakhs of pilgrims arrived to take part in the sacred ritual, marking the last snan of the grand religious congregation. Drone visuals captured the sheer scale of devotion as thousands of people took a dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, seeking divine blessings.
The first amrit snan of Maha Kumbh began on Paush Purnima on January 13, followed by snans on Makar Sankranti (January 14), Mauni Amavasya (January 29), Basant Panchami (February 3), Maghi Purnima (February 12), and the concluding snan on February 26, coinciding with Maha Shivratri. Several akhadas, including Niranjani Akhada, Ahwan Akhada, and Juna Akhada, actively participated in the event. The akhadas are religious orders of monks belonging to various sects such as Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Udasi, each led by a mahamandaleshwar. Their participation in the shahi snan added to the spiritual fervor of the event.
With the massive influx of pilgrims, security and crowd management became a top priority for the Prayagraj district administration. Prayagraj District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar stated that additional security forces were deployed to ensure smooth operations. Authorities collaborated with railway and airport officials to regulate traffic and manage transportation efficiently. To prevent congestion, special parking areas were designated, and a traffic advisory was issued. Senior officials monitored key areas to oversee crowd movement and ensure the safety of devotees.
Maha Shivratri, known as the great night of Shiva, is considered an extremely significant day for spiritual growth. The festival symbolizes the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. According to Hindu mythology, Shiva’s wedding procession to Parvati’s abode included celestial beings, animals, and even demons, representing universal harmony.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lauded the grand event, revealing that more than 1.30 crore devotees took the holy dip on Wednesday, while the overall footfall at Maha Kumbh 2025 has exceeded 63 crore. He described it as a mahayagna of unity, celebrating India’s spiritual heritage.
To maintain sanitation amid the vast gathering, an extensive cleanliness drive was carried out with 15,000 sanitation workers participating, setting a new Guinness World Record. The final results of the record attempt are expected to be announced on February 27.
The Indian Railways also made extensive transportation arrangements to facilitate the departure of pilgrims after the final amrit snan. More than 350 special trains were deployed from Prayagraj to accommodate the large crowds. Anticipating the rush, North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, and Northern Railway were placed on high alert. A similar strategy was implemented on Mauni Amavasya, when over 360 special trains transported nearly 20 lakh passengers safely. Emergency holding areas, including Khusro Bagh, were set up for crowd control, ensuring an organized boarding process at Prayagraj Junction.
Beyond Prayagraj, devotees also thronged major Shiva temples across the country. At Shri Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Mandir in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district, thousands of worshippers gathered to offer prayers, while Mahipalpur’s Shiv Murti Temple in Delhi witnessed large crowds seeking blessings on this sacred day.
