Amid chants of 'Har Har Mahadev,' thousands of devotees thronged the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on Wednesday (Feb 26) for the last sacred dip of the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh. The last bath coincides with the festival of Mahashivratri and is one of the most important muhurats (auspicious occasions) for the 'Amrit snan'.

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The world's biggest religious gathering began on January 13 and has so far drawn a record-breaking 650 million pilgrims. As per the Uttar Pradesh Government, by 2 am on Wednesday, over 1.2 million (11.66 lakh) devotees had taken a dip, with the number swelling to 4.11 million (41.11 lakh) by 6 am.

Also read | No-vehicle zone imposed in Prayagraj for Feb 26, Maha Kumbh Mela’s final bathing day

A spectacle of faith

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As the final auspicious 'snan' began, pilgrims from across India—Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar, Delhi, and beyond—flocked to the ghats, reported PTI news agency. Many international visitors arrived to witness the closing day of the world's largest spiritual gathering, Maha Kumbh.

Devotees camped overnight, eager to immerse themselves in the sacred waters at 'Brahma Muhurt' (a 48-minute period that begins one hour and 36 minutes before sunrise). Others performed their rituals before dawn. Security personnel kept a watchful eye, ensuring smooth movement and preventing overcrowding at the ghats.

Also read | ‘Pigs got dirt, vultures got...': UP CM Yogi Adityanath's jibe at opposition for slamming Maha Kumbh 2025

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What is the significance of Mahashivratri at Maha Kumbh?

Mahashivratri, as per Hindu mythology, marks the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It holds profound importance at the Kumbh Mela. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva played a key role in the 'Samudra Manthan' (churning of the ocean), which led to the emergence of the 'Amrit Kumbh' (nectar pitcher) — the very essence of the Kumbh Mela.

Record-breaking footfall

The UP government revealed that on Tuesday alone, attendance at Maha Kumbh reached 13.3 million (1.33 crore), pushing the overall footfall past 640 million (64 crore) —surpassing the populations of every country except India and China.

To manage the overwhelming crowd, authorities enforced a "no-vehicle zone" across the Mela area and deployed extensive police personnel tasked with implementing strict crowd control.

Also read | PM Modi slams Lalu Yadav over ‘faaltu hai Kumbh’ remark: ‘Jungle Raj leaders abusing Maha Kumbh’

DIG (Kumbh) Vaibhav Krishna emphasised the administration's focus on crowd control. 

"We are prepared particularly to handle a two-pronged situation, one is the rush of devotees at the ghats including Sangam and the other is crowd management at five main shivalayas in the mela area where devotees will offer sacred waters to Lord Shiva," he told PTI.

"We are expecting the footfall on Wednesday to be higher than it was on Tuesday," he noted, adding that no VIP treatment will be given to anyone on the last day of Maha Kumbh.

(With inputs from agencies)