Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said that the Mahakumbh is not organised by any particular party or government, but by the entire society. The government is working diligently for the cooperation of the devotees in this event and to fulfill their responsibilities. “We are deeply conscious of our responsibilities and have immense reverence for India’s Sanatan traditions. It is our duty to honour the devotees and the state government is privileged to be associated with this historic event.
During the Vidhan Sabha session, CM Yogi said that many types of propaganda were done regarding the event, but the country and the world have taken it to new heights by participating in it. He informed that seven days are left for the conclusion of the Mahakumbh and so far more than 56 crore 25 lakh devotees have taken bath in the Sangam in Prayagraj.
CM Yogi paid tributes to the victims of the stampede of January 29 and the devotees who suffered road accidents in Sonbhadra, Aligarh or other places and expressed condolences to their families. He assured that the state government would extend all possible help to the affected families and it would be inappropriate to indulge in politics over the issue. He said that it is not a crime to have faith in Sanatan Dharma or to give grand form to its events.
He also clarified that there was no discrimination against anyone in the Mahakumbh. People from every caste, creed and religion, including cricketer Mohammed Shami, participated in it and took a dip of faith. He said that the treatment of an infected person is possible, but the treatment of infected thinking is difficult. Every great work goes through stages of ridicule, protest and acceptance.
CM Yogi said that the tradition of Kumbh has been mentioned in the Rig Veda – “Kumbh Samastya Sudhaan Pibet” i. e. enjoy the soul by taking the nectar of Kumbh. In Atharvaveda also it is described as the nectar of Gangajal. The glory of Mahakumbh has been described in many ancient texts including Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran, Shriramcharitmanas.
He exhorted the people of the state to take pride in being associated with this grand event. “Even though we belong to different political parties, outside the state we are identified as citizens of Uttar Pradesh. If we do good work, we will get respect, otherwise people will look at us in a negative way. Before 2017, the image of Uttar Pradesh was different, but now the state has improved its identity.
CM Yogi said that in the last eight years, the state government has played an important role in changing the image of Uttar Pradesh, as a result of which today the people of the state are getting respect in the country and the world. He mentioned that when an excellent example of Covid management was being presented in Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was ridiculed by the opponents. Similarly, when Lord Shri Ram Lalla came to Ayodhya after a long wait of 500 years, some people opposed it.
The Chief Minister said that the Kumbh held in 2013 lasted for 55 days, while the Mahakumbh to be held in 2025 will be of 45 days. The date of the event is decided according to religious traditions, which are fixed from Paush Purnima to Mahashivratri. The 2013 Kumbh had an area of 1936 hectares, while this time the Maha Kumbh is being held in an area of more than 10,000 acres. Earlier, the Kumbh was divided into 14 sectors, while this time it has been divided into 25 sectors. In 2013, parking facility was available in 635 hectares, while this time it has been increased to 1850 hectares.
CM Yogi said that such events provide an opportunity to further the development of the city. During the 2013 Kumbh, no ROB (railway overbridge), pucca ghat or riverfront was constructed in Prayagraj, while in 2019, the state government built nine ROBs and six underpasses. 14 new flyovers, nine pucca ghats and seven riverfront routes have been constructed in Prayagraj for Mahakumbh 2025. In 2013, there was only a temporary ghat of four kilometres, which has been increased to 12 kilometres this time.
Referring to the transport facilities, CM Yogi informed that there was not a single shuttle bus in 2013, while this time more than 550 shuttle buses are being run to transport the devotees to the Kumbh area. In 2013, a total of 2300 roadways buses were purchased, while this time 7000 buses have been arranged. The number of bus stands has also been increased from three to seven. Under road widening, only 55 roads were widened in 2013, while 125 roads were converted from two-lane to four-lane and four-lane to six-lane in 2019. By 2025, more than 200 roads have been connected to this facility.
Discussing the water quality, CM Yogi said that in 2013, due to the limited arrangement of bioremediation, sanitation problems had arisen in the Kumbh, while in the Mahakumbh of 2025, 261 MLD water is being purified by tapping 81 drains with STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) and bioremediation technology. Only treated water is being discharged.
He informed that the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board is continuously monitoring the water quality. According to the latest report, the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in and around the Sangam area is three or less, while the dissolved oxygen (DO) content is found to be more than 8-9 mg per litre. That is, the water of the Sangam is suitable for bathing and bathing. The quantity of fecal coliform in the water samples taken on 12th, 16th, 20th, 25th, 30th January and 5th, 10th, 13th February in Prayagraj has also been found to be as per the prescribed standards.
“From common citizens of the country to industrialists, the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Union Ministers took bath in the Mahakumbh. Eminent personalities from the country and abroad are also reaching Prayagraj. Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are also getting meritorious benefits. The growing trend of all sections of society towards Prayagraj reflects the grandeur of this event. It is necessary to publicize it widely and present this achievement of the state at the global level. All the devotees and tourists who are taking a dip of faith in the Mahakumbh are appreciating the well-organized arrangements, cleanliness of water, grandeur of the event and the spirit of unity. This is not appeasement of any particular section but an attempt to give a satisfying experience to 56 crore devotees. This event is establishing India’s strength at the global level and the potential of Uttar Pradesh is being recognized across the country.
CM Yogi said that by organizing the Mahakumbh, it is proved that Uttar Pradesh can successfully conclude such a big event, and Prayagraj in particular has the ability to complete this historic event. It is a matter of pride for the people of the state that they are becoming a part of this historic event. Similarly, lakhs of devotees are also reaching Varanasi and Ayodhya every day, creating a new positive perception towards Uttar Pradesh. People coming to Ayodhya are gaining spiritual virtues and at the same time strengthening the economy here.
Reacting to the criticisms, CM Yogi said that some people spread the rumour that devotees went hungry in the Mahakumbh, while no one goes hungry in the events of Sanatan Dharma. We worship Maa Annapurna and have the ability to feed others by her grace. Whoever came to Prayagraj Mahakumbh got the blessings of Annapurna. Service work is going on continuously in Varanasi, Ayodhya and Prayagraj, and these cities have presented the best example of the tradition of “Atithi Devo Bhava.”
CM Yogi informed that the central and state governments have jointly spent seven to seven and a half thousand crore rupees for the smooth operation of the arrangements for the Mahakumbh fair. Out of this, Rs 1500 crore has been spent for Mahakumbh event, while the remaining on infrastructure development in and around Prayagraj. Nine railway stations have been expanded and modernized where holding areas have been created. The civil terminal of Prayagraj Airport has been expanded, from where there were only two aerodromes earlier, now six aerodromes have been built there, which are capable of parking six aircraft simultaneously. So far, more than 750 regular and chartered flights have landed in Prayagraj.
CM Yogi informed that the Himalayan Institute at Prayagraj has drawn attention to the features of Mahakumbh. According to him, this event has awakened a new spiritual consciousness in every Indian, due to which devotees are coming to the Mahakumbh to get a unique spiritual experience. This fair is not only a symbol of vastness and grandeur, but people of different ideologies, traditions and religious beliefs are participating in it. It has emerged as a symbol of India’s cultural, spiritual and civilizational heritage, making the whole world aware of it.
The Himalayan Institute also said that huge efforts have been made in taking this fair to this level, in which better coordination of resources and efficient leadership have played an important role. Senior officials of the government have done excellent work in taking the Mahakumbh to the pinnacle of success, for which they deserve praise. This event has taken India’s spiritual traditions to new heights on the global stage.
CM Yogi said that more than 800 devotees died in the Kumbh of 1954. The tragic incident took place when the then Prime Minister and President were attending the event. The Kumbh events of 1974 and 1986 also claimed hundreds of lives. He said that those who are questioning the arrangements of the current Mahakumbh should also pay attention to history. This time, no VIP culture has been adopted in the event, otherwise 56 crore people would not have been able to bathe in Triveni in 37-38 days.
He said that when the unfortunate accident took place on the day of Mauni Amavasya, more than 5 crore devotees were present in the mela area itself, while the maximum capacity of Prayagraj city is 25 lakh people. Nearly 2 crore people had turned up in the city and surrounding areas on that day, making crowd management challenging. However, the government was yet to make any preparations. Holding areas and parking facilities were created in Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Chitrakoot, Mahoba, Fatehpur, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh 24 hours ago, thereby controlling around 2 lakh buses. The local administration and the public presented an excellent example of hospitality.
CM Yogi informed that on the night of January 29, between 1:10 and 1:30 pm, the barricades near Sangam Nose suddenly broke due to the pressure of the excessive crowd, which put the devotees already present there under pressure. Of the 66 pilgrims affected, 30 died and 36 were admitted to the medical college. The bodies of 29 of the deceased were identified and handed over to their families, while the DNA sample of one unidentified deceased was preserved and cremated by the administration. Of the injured, 35 were sent home after treatment, while one is undergoing treatment at a local medical college.
CM Yogi said that immediately after the incident, police and security agencies started rescue work. Devotees helped in building the green corridor. Crowd pressure continued at various places throughout the day, which also led to 30-35 injuries at other places, out of which 07 died. However, the incidents that took place in Aligarh, Jharkhand and Nepal were shown as being linked to Prayagraj, which was inappropriate. Similarly, a few days ago, 10 devotees died in a road accident in Prayagraj, which is wrong to link it with Mahakumbh. Road accidents are a matter of concern, and the state government is running several awareness programmes on road safety.
CM Yogi said that there is still a week left for the conclusion of the Mahakumbh, and so far 56 crore devotees have participated in it. This festival is a symbol of Indian culture and tradition. People from the country and abroad are participating in it and expressing their faith. He termed the mishap on Mauni Amavasya day on January 29 as unfortunate and informed that he had requested the Akharas to postpone the Amrit Snan for a while, but since the muhurat of Amrit Snan is on the whole day, the Akharas insisted on providing the devotees an opportunity to take bath.
A total of 06 main Snans have taken place in the Mahakumbh, out of which 03 were Amrit Snans. The first bathing took place on Paush Purnima on January 13, the second on Makar Sankranti on January 14 and the third on Mauni Amavasya on January 29, in which all 13 akharas participated. The fourth Amrit Snan concluded on Basant Panchami, while the fifth one took place on Maghi Purnima on February 12. The sixth and final bath will take place on Mahashivratri on February 26. The dates of Mahakumbh are decided on the basis of astrological calculations, not by the government.
He said that under the guidance of the Prime Minister and in the presence of saints, this event of Mahakumbh has become a symbol of unity. This event is an answer to divisive politics, and people should not do politics over Maha Kumbh. He said that more than 22,000 devotees left during the event, out of which more than 20,000 were reunited with their families through the digital lost-and-found centre.
“Prayagraj Mahakumbh has become the biggest event in the world. In comparison, Germany’s October Fest, Brazil’s Rio Carnival and Mecca’s Hajj are smaller. So far, 56 crore people have joined this event, which is more than the total population of many countries. He said that no one can remain hungry in Mahakumbh as free langar is arranged in gurudwaras, mutts and temples where everyone is welcomed without discrimination.
He expressed his condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the accident. The government has set up a judicial commission to investigate these incidents, and the culprits will not be spared. Mahakumbh is not an event of any party or government, but it is a symbol of everyone’s faith.
Respecting the linguistic diversity in the House, he said that permission has been given to speak in dialects like Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Bundeli, and their Hindi translation will be made available. Hindi will continue to be the language of the House, and everyone should cooperate in this work in a positive spirit.
