Over nine crore devotees attended the Magh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj last month. The Magh Mela was seen as a trial run for the Maha Kumbh 2025.

Hindu devotees gather to take holy dip in River Ganga in Prayagraj (PTI Photo)

By Shilpi Sen: A record nine crore ‘Kalpvasis’ or devotees, attended the month-long Magh Mela, held after a gap of two years, in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj last month.

This number is almost double the number of devotees who participated in the mela in previous years.

Notably, the devotees spend one month in tents. They bathe in the Ganga twice a day and eat once. They spend the rest of the time listening to worship songs and religious texts.

More than two crore devotees took a dip in the Ganga and the Sangam on Mauni Amavasya — the third bathing festival of the Magh Mela on January 21.

The Magh Mela was seen as a trial run for the Maha Kumbh 2025.

This time, 14 police stations and 38 police posts were set up at the fair site for effective crowd management.

In Pics | Devotees take holy dip at Sangam on Magh Mela in Prayagraj