Over 51 Crore Devotees Take Holy Dip At Maha Kumbh. Akhilesh Claims Yogi Govt Showing 'Lower Number'

The Prayagraj Mahakumbh has seen a historic turnout, with over 51 crore devotees taking the holy dip. On Saturday, 1 crore devotees performed the sacred bath, contributing to the surge in pilgrims.

File photo of devotees taking holy deep in Prayagraj Mahakumbh.

Source : PTI

The Prayagraj Mahakumbh has witnessed an unprecedented turnout, with the number of devotees crossing 51 crore. As of Saturday afternoon, the figure had exceeded 51 crore, with over 1 crore devotees taking the holy dip just today.

The weekend has further contributed to the surge, leading to an overwhelming influx of pilgrims. The crowd density has reached a point where finding standing space has become a challenge.

By 2:00 PM, 92 lakh 12 thousand devotees had taken a holy dip. Among them, 2 lakh Kalpvasis and 90 lakh 12 thousand devotees performed the sacred bath. By February 14, more than 50 crore 11 lakh people had taken a holy dip at the Mahakumbh.

Govt Is Showing Reduced Figure: Akhilesh Yadav

However, denying the facts on a number of devotees' visits to Kumbh, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav asserted that over 60 crore people would have taken baths in Maha Kumbh. He claimed that the government is showing a reduced figure to hide from international media or universities in order to avoid potential allegations over the lack of proper administration and management.

"We believe that about 60 crore people have taken bath in Maha Kumbh. The government is showing a reduced figure because tomorrow when the international media or university will study the administration and management of this fair, they will find that proper administration and management was not done according to the number of people who came. Which is the failure of the BJP government. That is why after the fair failed, they are deliberately showing a lower number. They may say anything about the fair from the stage, but deep down they also know that their own shortcomings were behind the failure of the fair, due to which the image of UP has been greatly hurt in the country and the world," he said in a post on X.

हमारा तो मानना है कि महाकुंभ में लगभग 60 करोड़ लोग स्नान कर चुके हैं। सरकार इसलिए आँकड़ा घटाकर दिखा रही है क्योंकि कल को जब इंटरनेशनल मीडिया या यूनिवर्सिटी इस मेले के Administration & Management के बारे में Study करेगा तो पाएगा कि जितने लोग आए थे, उनके हिसाब से उचित प्रशासन और…

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) February 15, 2025

Lashing out over the poor management of the fair, he added, "Due to the poor arrangements of the fair and being forced to walk for 20 kilometers, lakhs of elderly people could not come here. Due to high prices, the poor could not reach here. And even lakhs of local residents of Prayagraj could not take bath due to traffic jam and guests. Therefore, our demand is that the arrangements in the fair should be extended for a few more days so that the elderly, poor or Prayagraj residents who have been deprived of bathing can get an opportunity to earn merit."

No-Vehicle Zone For Two Days

All roads and pathways, from the Mahakumbh area to the city, are packed with devotees. Owing to the heavy crowd, the Mahakumbh area has been declared a no-vehicle zone for two days.  

Prayagraj Sangam Railway Station has also been closed until February 16. This railway station has been shut since February 9.  

Due to the overwhelming crowd, devotees were required to walk several kilometers on foot. However, despite walking long distances, devotees are quite happy with the arrangements made here.  

They say they are experiencing a divine feeling at the Mahakumbh. Devotees also expressed their appreciation for the arrangements made by the Yogi government.