Maha Kumbh Mela: A sangam of tradition & tech awaits pilgrims

Robots, drones, anti-drone systems, AI chatbots, advanced surveillance cameras, ‘digital warriors’… the long list may misguide an unsuspecting person. However, these are some of the technologies to be deployed during the upcoming Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj in January next year.

The 45-day event is expected to attract around ‘45 crore’ devotees, so the Uttar Pradesh government is extensively banking on technology to ensure the religious congregation passes smoothly.

In all likelihood, the Mela will witness a ‘sangam’ (confluence) of tradition and technology.

While a generative AI-based chatbot—Kumbh Sah'AI'yak—will provide the necessary information, in 11 languages, to digitally literate devotees, RFID wristbands on pilgrims' hands will help officials track their movements in the Mela area, especially during the peak bathing season.

Another arena where AI will be in play during the Mela is round-the-clock surveillance. AI-powered cameras will be installed across the area for crowd management and surveillance. The officials here claimed the cameras would help them keep a precise headcount at the largest gathering of humans in the world.

Besides, tethered drones will be deployed to provide comprehensive aerial surveillance. The officials said the high-tech device is capable of capturing high-resolution images, videos, and sensor data, and leaves no corner of the Mela grounds unmonitored.

An anti-drone system will also be in place to prevent unmanned aerial vehicles from approaching the area.

Since a sea of humanity will float over the Mela grounds on the banks of Ganga and Yamuna, the officials plan to deploy robots strategically to douse any accidental fires.

With millions of sadhus and pilgrims settling in temporary tents, and many making fires to escape the chilly winter, the chances of fire accidents can’t be ruled out. Foreseeing such a scenario, the officials have kept firefighting robots ready. These robots are said to be capable of easily accessing narrow and congested areas where firefighting vehicles cannot enter.

Considering the spread of fake news, the Uttar Pradesh police have enlisted social media influencers and college students as “digital warriors” to keep an eye on misinformation during the event.

Eco challenges

While the technological landscape around the Mela is undergoing a massive overhaul, the geography of Sangam has also been altered to cater to the increasing attraction for pilgrim tourism.

The state’s irrigation department has merged three streams of Ganga in the Sangam area to create better bathing facilities. Previously, the Ganga had changed its course, splitting into three streams. This split impacted the river’s purity and complicated the organisation of the Mahakumbh, officials said, adding that three massive dredging machines were deployed to expand the flow of Ganga in the Sangam area.

While both the Union government and the state government have been pumping money into the event, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating projects worth around Rs 5,500 crore, there are concerns about the environmental and sanitation aspects of the event.

The sheer amount of waste that is going to be generated during the one-and-a-half-month event is a mountain of challenge in itself. Even though the government has announced the deployment of 15,000 sanitation workers, the National Green Tribunal has observed that the health of crores of pilgrims will be impacted if effective steps are not taken to prevent the discharge of sewage into the Ganga in Prayagraj.

Some petitioners have claimed that as many as 50 drains are discharging sewage directly into the Ganga in an eight-km stretch close to the Sangam (confluence of Ganga and Yamuna).

While the Mela is just weeks away, the state government is yet to submit a “comprehensive sewage management system” plan to the green tribunal. The NGT in the last week gave more time for the state to submit the plan after the state requested it in this regard.

Yogi's event

The large-scale use of technology at the traditional religious event should come as no surprise as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been trying to market the Mahakumbh at a global stage. Conducting the event smoothly is also a matter of prestige for the CM who himself is a seer. While his opponents, within and outside the BJP, will be looking for lapses to blame him, Yogi will pull all stops to make sure he doesn’t leave anything to chance.

Further, the event is likely to see some religious messaging with a political aftertaste. A proposal for the formation of a Sanatan Board is likely to be cleared at a congregation of prominent seers and sages at the Mela and will be submitted to the Union government. President of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad Mahant Ravindra Puri has said the goal is to establish a “well-structured, government-recognised board that upholds the principles of Sanatan Dharma without any shortcomings”.