Maha Kumbh: Over 50 crore devotees take holy dip at Triveni Sangam, says UP govt

Mahakumbh Nagar: Over 50 crore devotees have taken a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam till Friday evening during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, the Uttar Pradesh government said.

The participation marks the largest congregation in human history for any religious, cultural, or social event, the state government, which is hosting the mega fair in Prayagraj, it said.

It added that the footfall at the Hindu pilgrimage has surpassed the population count of all countries except India and China.

Being held after 12 years, the Maha Kumbh started on January 13 and will continue till February 26 on the banks of the Triveni Sangam -- the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, considered holy among Hindus.

Despite a deadly stampede on January 29, the fair continued to draw millions of pilgrims from India and the world daily.

According to the government, over 92 lakh devotees had taken a dip till 6 pm on Friday alone, pushing the overall footfall at Maha Kumbh past 50 crore (till February 14).

"Nations like the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Bangladesh all have smaller populations than those who have immersed themselves in the sacred waters of Sanatan Dharma," the government said in the statement.

According to the US Census Bureau, the world's top 10 most populous countries are India (1,41,93,16,933), China (1,40,71,81,209), the US (34,20,34,432), Indonesia (28,35,87,097), Pakistan (25,70,47,044), Nigeria (24,27,94,751), Brazil (22,13,59,387), Bangladesh (17,01,83,916), Russia (14,01,34,279) and Mexico (13,17,41,347), it noted.

"Only India and China surpass the number of devotees at Mahakumbh. In contrast, nations like the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Brazil fall significantly behind," the government added.

Before the onset of the Maha Kumbh, the government had estimated the footfall to be around 40 crore to 45 crore.

On January 29, a record eight crore devotees turned up for the holy bath at Maha Kumbh in a single day on the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya.

The early hours of January 29 were also marked by a stampede at Sangam in which 30 pilgrims lost their lives while another 60 were left injured, according to an official declaration.