The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, began on January 13 and will conclude on February 26, coinciding with Mahashivratri. On February 10, President Droupadi Murmu marked her presence by taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam and offering prayers at the Akshayavat and Bade Hanuman Temple. Her visit added to the spiritual fervor of the ongoing event, drawing even greater attention to the celebrations. Earlier, on February 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also participated in the Mela, taking a holy dip, chanting mantras, and offering prayers while holding a rudraksha mala. The Maha Kumbh Mela has long been a site of deep devotion for India’s leaders, with Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the country’s first President, also taking a holy dip during a previous Mela. With millions of devotees, including international visitors, Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 continues to be a grand confluence of spirituality, tradition, and faith.

A major crowd-puller at the Maha Kumbh is the Shrimad Bhagwat Kath, narrated by Rasiya Baba Vrindavan. Swami Ram Vallabh Sharma, director of the Raas Leela being staged at this Katha, shares, “Every year during the Kumbh, Babaji beautifully narrates the divine leelas (stories) of Lord Krishna. For the past 30 years, people from all over come to hear him.” The Raas Leela performances attract thousands of visitors, and Shreenath ji is also believed to have graced the event, drawing many saints (holy men) for darshan.

A visit to Prayagraj isn’t complete without experiencing the Ganga Aarti, a sacred Hindu ritual honoring the Ganga river. The Gyanthali Foundation, at Gangeshwar Ghat in Sector 9, recreates this grand experience.

Alka Prakash Panday, organizer and managing trustee of the Gyanthali Foundation, shares, “Maa Ganga has empowered me to organize this worship ceremony at the Ghat during the Maha Kumbh, which I consider my small contribution to the eternal Sanatan tradition.”

The Ganga Aarti is a stunning spectacle performed by seven learned Brahmins from Kashi. The ceremony includes hymns, mantras, and the sounds of bells, damru, and conch shells, adding to the spiritual atmosphere.