Bemetara: Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj has criticised the Prayagraj administration over the Maha Kumbh, claiming the actual concluding day was on the amawasya of the Magh month and what went on after that was a “sarkari Kumbh” and all “kalpavasis” had left already, marking the end of this Maha Kumbh.
Attending a gathering in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara on Thursday, the Shankaracharya said the Maha Kumbh ended on the full moon day of Amavasya.
“The Maha Kumbh that is going on now was a ‘sarkari’ Maha Kumbh. The real Kumbh takes place in the month of Magh. It was completed on the full moon day of Magh month. All the ‘kalpvaasi’ had left from there on the full moon day of Magh month. Kumbh was completed then only,” he said in reference to VIP and public figures taking holy dip at the Triveni Sangam till the conclusion on February 26.
#WATCH | Bemetara, Chhattisgarh | On #MahaKumbh2025, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj says, ” Maha Kumbh ended on the full moon day of Amavasya. The Maha Kumbh that is going on now was a ‘sarkari’ Maha Kumbh. The real Kumbh takes place in the… pic.twitter.com/Dj112TICpp
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 27, 2025
Maha Kumbh draws to close with 66 crore visitors
The Maha Kumbh, regarded as the world’s largest gathering, concluded on Wednesday just as it began 45 days ago—with lakhs of devotees making their way to the waters of the Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati converge, to take a sacred dip on the auspicious occasion of Shivratri.
The grand religious festival came to a close amidst a mix of devotion and tragedy, with a stampede claiming at least 30 lives. Scenes of the devout from all walks of life immersing themselves in the holy waters in the hope of spiritual cleansing were accompanied by massive crowds not only at the Sangam but also at railway stations and bus stands across north India. The event also sparked political debates over crowd estimates and the cleanliness of the river waters.
According to the Uttar Pradesh government, 1.44 crore people had taken a holy dip by 6 pm on Wednesday. It reported that since January 13, Prayagraj had seen a total of 66.21 crore visitors—a figure surpassing the populations of all countries except China and India.
Among those who attended the Kumbh were President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior ministers, and film stars.
