Maha Kumbh : 400 mn pilgrims expected : Larger than the population of the US !! Yogi says Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav wanted bigger tragedy at Kumbh

Even in a country as big and populous as India, the scale of the Kumbh Mela is staggering. 

This time round, the government said it expected 400 million visitors – larger than the population of the US – to turn up over the total 45 days of the Kumbh Mela, which would be a record crowd for the festival. 

In 2019, a smaller version of the festival attracted 240 million people.

Blogger in 2019 : Kumbh

Over the course of the festival, a sprawling temporary city of tents, stalls, toilets and elaborate temple facades are constructed along both banks of the Ganges, across a 40 sq km area. Each day, millions gather at the triveni sangam to take a dip in the water, many having travelled for days to do so.

As well as pilgrims, it is mandatory for tens of thousands of sadhus, who are part of monastic sects known as Akharas, to attend the Kumbh Mela and take part in several ritual bathes in the river. 

It offers pilgrims a rare opportunity to offer devotion to the naga sadhus, the naked, ash-smeared holy men who largely live an isolated life of meditation and prayer in ashrams.

Spending for the festival has also increased to record highs  with the Uttar Pradesh state government reported to have spent 70bn rupees (£670m) on setting up the site and bringing in new technology to update the ancient festivities, says an article in 'The Guardian'. 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav of wanting a huge disaster to unfold during last month's stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.  

Speaking to reporters in Prayagraj, Adityanath said, "While the entire nation and the world are witnessing this grand Sanatan Dharma event with pride, there are some elements conspiring against it, spreading falsehoods and setting new standards of deception."

"The statements made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in Parliament today draw attention to this sinister agenda," he added.

Yogi Adityanath accused both the leaders of attempting to defame the Maha Kumbh Mela from the beginning. "Their statements not only reveal their anti-Sanatan stance but also expose their vulture-like vision. From day one, they have been spreading misinformation against Maha Kumbh," he alleged.

Slamming Kharge for his claim in Parliament that "thousands died on Mauni Amavasya at the Prayagraj Kumbh", the CM said, 

"Such a senior leader who heads the country's oldest party is expected to make responsible statements. Instead, he has resorted to outright lies and misguiding remarks in Parliament."

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