New Delhi: Maha Kumbh 2025, one of the world’s largest religious congregations, is set to take place from January 13 to February 26 in UP’s Prayagraj. Over 400-450 million devotees are expected to throng the venue. Preparations are afoot for the event and to facilitate the devotees and guide them, the Mela Authority has rolled out the ‘Mahakumbh Mela 2025’ app.
‘Plan Your Pilgrimage’
The app is aimed at providing convenience to the pilgrims by giving details about the location of ghats, major religious sites, and temples in the city. It has a feature ‘Plan Your Pilgrimage’ under which guidance is provided on how to reach the destinations, and where to stay (with hotel options listed). It also offers directions to several ghats, including Dashashwamedh Ghat, Kila Ghat, Rasulabad Ghat and Gyan Ganga Ghat. There’s also a ‘Tourist Guide’, wherein the users can find names of guides and their contact numbers.
‘Attractions of Maha Kumbh’
The app has a feature ‘Attractions of Maha Kumbh 2025’ under which one can explore the ‘Aarti on the ghats’, ‘The sacred bathing rituals’, ‘Akhara camps’, ‘Spiritual discourses and satsangs’, ‘Cultural performances’, ‘Craft and food bazaars’, ‘Yoga and meditation retreats’, ‘Cultural processions and parades’, ‘Environmental initiatives’ and ‘Art installations and exhibitions’.
Bathing dates
The bathing dates from January 13 to February 26 have also been listed. It starts with ‘Paush Purnima’ on January 13, ‘Makar Sankranti’ on January 14, ‘Mauni Amavasya’ on January 29, ‘Basant Panchami’ on February 3, ‘Maghi Purnima’ on February 12 and ends with ‘Maha Shivratri’ on February 26.
There are also some interesting Kumbh Mela Facts mentioned in the app. A user has to scroll to read them. It includes mythological as well as historical facts about the Mela. One of them states: The Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj is different from the melas at the other venues in many respects. This is the only place where kalpavas is practised. According to the Vedas, a kalp means a period equal to the total number of years in the four yugas Satyuga, Tretayuga, Dwaparyuga and Kalyuga.
The app offers help to the devotees to explore the key areas in the city, starting from Shankar Viman Mandapam and Veni Madhav Temple to Saraswati Koop and Sankatmochan Hanuman Temple. It also mentions the Prayagraj Heritage Walk — Public Library, Central Library, Allahabad Museum, Anand Bhawan, Chandra Shekhar Azad Park and so on.
‘Nearby attractions’
The app also has a feature ‘Nearby Attractions’ for pilgrims who would like to visit places near Prayagraj. These include Ayodhya Dham, Vindhyachal, Chitrakoot, and Varanasi. The users can also find a section on ‘Delicacies in Kumbh’. The app mentions SOS as well: Kumbh Helpline as 1920, and General Helpline as 112.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently inaugurated the official website and app of the Mela administration during his visit to Prayagraj. Signboards and digital navigation aids at key ghats and routes are being enhanced, and Google Maps integration ensured, so that devotees can enjoy seamless access to their sacred sites.
The Maha Kumbh is recognised globally and it is also listed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO — a testament to the richness of Indian culture. The Maha Kumb Mela app will enhance the pilgrimage experience, ensuring a seamless and more meaningful journey for all those visiting Prayagraj.
