Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: How the religious gathering has evolved over centuries

The Maha Kumbh Mela will kick off in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on a grand scale on January 13. The 45-day religious celebration, concluding on February 26, is expected to attract over 40 crore people from the country and other parts of the world.

Touted as the world’s largest religious gathering, this year’s Maha Kumbh Mela is special as it marks the completion of 12 Kumbh Mela cycles, occurring in 144 years. As devotees and pilgrims gather in Prayagraj to take a holy dip hoping to cleanse their sins and achieve salvation, we take a look at how the religious congregation has evolved over the years.

History of Kumbh Mela

It is believed that the eighth-century Hindu philosopher Adi Shankaracharya encouraged regular assemblies of spiritual leaders and ascetics. He also introduced the monastery system and the 13 akharas, according to The Hindu report.

However, as per The New Indian Express (TNIE), references to the Kumbh Mela can be found in the accounts of the Chinese monk Xuanzang who visited India in 629-645 CE, during the reign of King Harshavardhana.

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Since the eighth century, monks of various akharas have gathered in Prayagraj to take part in the Shahi Snan (holy dip) at a specific time on auspicious days.

The Kumbh Mela is organised every three years on the banks of the rivers in Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik and Prayagraj on a rotational basis. The Maha Kumbh is hosted every 12 years in Prayagraj.

From the ninth to 18th Centuries, the month-long Kumbh Mela was organised by akharas, with the order for the Shahi Snan triggering a rift, as per The Hindu report.

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The akharas have engaged in violent clashes over this hierarchy even leading to deaths. Now, the order is still decided by akharas but has been institutionalised by authorities, the newspaper mentioned.

Historians say that the Kumbh Mela as we know it today can be dated back to the late 19th or early 20th Century.

In 2019, a 14th sect called Kinnar Akhara took part in the holy dip and will continue to be a part of the festivities.

Kumbh Mela during British rule

The Kumbh Mela continued to be organised during British rule, with the colonial administration overseeing the logistics related to the religious gathering.

In the late 19th century, the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) emerged as a platform for fanning nationalist sentiments through religious activities.

“Part of this was because of the British government’s policy of not interfering with religious affairs. So religion became a theatre for nationalist activities,” James Lochtefeld, the author of The Construction of the Kumbh Mela (2004), was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

From the beginning of the 20th century, Indian leaders started promoting nationalist ideas at the Kumbh Mela.

“As nationalism developed, the hub of politics emanating from Allahabad’s notables, such as Motilal Nehru, Madan Mohan Malaviya and Purushottam Das Tandon, gave it a national reputation, giving the pilgrimage an extra dimension,” historian Kama Maclean wrote in her book Pilgrimage and Power: The Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, 1765-1954.

Reports say Hindu ascetics were preaching swadeshi and nationalism during the mela in 1907. By the 1930s, the Congress leaders were using the Kumbh Mela to spread the idea of civil disobedience, reported Indian Express.

These religious gatherings became a ground to galvanise support for the freedom movement. As per the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), even Mahatma Gandhi marked his presence at the Maha Kumbh Mela in 1918, interacting with other attendees.

Expansion over the years

The Maha Kumbh Mela has grown in scale and popularity over the years.

In 1966, more than seven lakh pilgrims took a holy dip on Magha Purnima – the fifth important bathing day of the Maha Kumbh, reported The Hindu.

The Maha Kumbh Mela in 1977 was highly auspicious as it occurred in 144 years, marking the completion of 12 Kumbh Mela cycles. Held during the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government, the religious gathering drew one crore people to Prayagraj on January 19 for the holy dip.

The 1989 Kumbh, organised over an area of 3,000 acres, attracted 1.5 crore devotees to Prayagraj, entering the Guinness World Book of Records for the world’s largest gathering of people.

The 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela will be spread across 4,000 hectares, with a tent city coming up for devotees and pilgrims. This year, the religious gathering has gone digital with CCTVs and AI-powered cameras being installed to track crowd movement. With an expected footfall of 40 crore, Uttar Pradesh could earn up to Rs 2 lakh crore, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said.

In 2019, as many as 25 crore devotees attended the Kumbh Mela.

With inputs from agencies