The Maha Kumbh Mela kicked off in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj this morning with over 50 lakh devotees taking a holy dip in the Sangam. The Sangam is the place where the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers meet.
The thousands-year-old Kumbh Mela, said to be the largest gathering of humanity in the world, is expected to draw over 40 crore people to Prayagraj, more than the population of the US and Russia combined.
Devotees take a dip in the Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025
The event, being held after 12 long years, has been built on around 4,000 hectares and will continue till February 26. It is expected to give a major boost to the economic development of India’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh, which has allocated a budget of around Rs 7,000 crore for the 45-day mega event.
Mahakumbh expected to generate revenue of up to Rs 2 lakh crore
Mahakumbh 2025 is expected to generate economic growth of up to Rs 2 lakh crore for Uttar Pradesh. According to estimates, if each of the 40 crore visitors spends an average of Rs 5,000, the event could earn Rs 2 lakh crore.
The average per capita consumption could rise to Rs 10,000 and the total economic impact could touch Rs 4 lakh crore, news agency IANS said, citing industry estimates. Moreover, it is estimated to boost both real and nominal GDP by more than 1 per cent.
A detailed view of the Sangam area of Maha Kumbh 2025
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the Ardh Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj in 2019 contributed Rs 1.2 lakh crore to the state’s economy. The “Ardh” or semi-seminal Kumbh Mela in 2019 saw around 24 crore pilgrims.
“This year, 40 crore devotees are expected to visit, so Maha Kumbh is expected to generate economic growth of up to Rs 2 lakh crore,” he told a news channel recently. Mr Adityanath, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), described the Maha Kumbh as the world’s largest mini-city, which can accommodate 50 lakh to one crore devotees at a time. According to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the food and beverage sector, including packaged food, water, rolls, juices and dinners, is estimated to add Rs 20,000 crore to the overall industry. The traders’ body also said religious items and offerings, such as oil, lamps, Gangajal, icons, incense sticks and religious books, are another big part of the economic activity, contributing an estimated Rs 20,000 crore.
