Dip at Sangam: My journey to Maha Kumbh 2025

I didn’t believe I would ever get to experience something so unique that happens only once in 144 years. The Maha Kumbh 2025 at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj was indeed an experience of a lifetime.

The ‘Purna’ (complete) Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years in one of the four locations: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain, where the nectar of immortality from mythological Samudra Manthan is believed to have fallen. However, the Maha Kumbh Mela is held only once in 144 years which happens during a unique planetary alignment, making it even more special.

I travelled by car to the world‘s largest religious gathering, a destination about 670 kilometres from my home in Delhi-NCR. It was the farthest journey I had ever embarked upon by road.

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Challenges on our way

The travel to this spiritual place was not an easy one. We started our journey at 7:15 am on February 6. We took the Yamuna Expressway, the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and then the Kaushambi-Prayagraj Highway. Our journey was smooth until we reached the outskirts of Prayagraj. It was after that the traffic started to swell and we got stuck in a massive jam.

As we tried to use Google Maps to find our way to the destination, multiple diversions forced us to take routes that were nearly three to four times longer. The traffic measures were put in place to prevent overcrowding in Prayagraj city.

One thing that amazed me during this moment was that no one seemed agitated by these, as they waited to be a part of the grandeur of the Maha Kumbh. Thanks to the Uttar Pradesh Police, who were extremely helpful and guided everyone calmly on their way to the Kumbh, we finally managed to enter the city after the five-hour-long jam.

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We reached our accommodation near the Arail Ghat at about 12:30 am on February 7. The area overlooked the beautifully illuminated Triveni Sangam across the river Yamuna. What we expected to be a 12-14 hours journey, turned out to be almost an 18-hour drive. But what we experienced the next morning, was worth it.

The ghat

When I woke up, the streets of Prayagraj were already bustling with pilgrims heading to the Triveni Sangam.

My family and I walked along the Yamuna River ghat towards the boat booth, from where the boat rides began. Since we were at Arail Ghat, the only way to reach Triveni Sangam was to board a row boat.

The walk to the starting point of the boats was approximately 4 kilometres. On our way, we took a brief moment to marvel at the arrangements set up around the area.

Walking along the ghat also made me feel connected to every person around us. It was a beautiful thought and understanding that while everyone undertook different journeys, we all were there to experience the same thing that could not be described in words.

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There were thousands of people on the ghat–while some walked towards the boats, some were returning, and others were engaged in buying items for rituals and souvenirs from the vendors.

It occurred to me at that point that Maha Kumbh is not just a pilgrimage. Apart from the spiritual activities, the 45-day festival offers a lot to people and may even change their lives. The city boomed with opportunities for street vendors, boat rowers, the hospitality industry, food outlets and other businesses.

Dip at Triveni Sangam

We reached the boat booth and rented a boat to the Sangam point, where the holy Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet.

The boat ride was peaceful and mesmerising as hundreds of seagulls covered the river surface, creating a picturesque view.

We reached a small island where our boat stopped near the shore, close to the convergence of the sacred rivers. Despite millions taking a holy dip in the river, the water was clean. From there, we could see Yamuna merging into Ganga and becoming one.

We removed our footwear before getting off the boat and immersing our feet in the cold, gentle water. After walking towards a deeper section until the water was at waist level, we took a dip in the water despite the cold. While it was afternoon and the sun was just above our heads, I was feeling slightly cold in the gentle breeze.

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On our way back, we fed the seagulls from the boat and took pictures. Once we were back at the ghat, we changed into fresh clothes at one of the changing rooms built in the area. On our way back to our accommodation, we took a brief break to have delicious snacks at the stalls near the ghat.

‘Experience of a lifetime’

Shortly after reaching there, we packed our stuff and vacated the room to head back home. Even though we were tired, we managed to leave by 4 pm.

We got into traffic jams on our way out to Prayagraj too, although much less than the ones we encountered previously. We drove overnight to our home, taking necessary halts along the way.

Despite the massive crowd of pilgrims in Prayagraj, the arrangements around the ghats were beyond our expectations.

While the journey ended sooner than I liked, it will stay with me forever as a cherished memory.