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Deadly Stampede Strikes India’s Kumbh Mela Amid Massive Pilgrim Gathering

Deadly Stampede Strikes India’s Kumbh Mela Amid Massive Pilgrim Gathering

A deadly stampede struck the Kumbh Mela on Wednesday, claiming at least 15 lives despite advanced security measures, including AI-powered crowd monitoring and drone surveillance. The festival held along the banks of the Ganges River in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is expected to attract 400 million pilgrims over six weeks. Devotees from across India and beyond have gathered to participate in sacred rituals, prayers, and grand processions featuring elephants, horse-back parades, and chariots.

The Kumbh Mela, which began on January 13 and runs until February 26, is one of the world’s largest religious gatherings. Organizers have compared the scale of preparations to “setting up a country from scratch.” Authorities have installed 150,000 toilets, set up massive community kitchens capable of feeding 50,000 people at a time, and launched a special Kumbh phone app alongside “Lost and Found” centers to help reunite missing pilgrims with their families.

Despite these preparations, Wednesday’s tragedy has raised safety concerns. The Kumbh Mela has a history of deadly stampedes, with one of the worst incidents occurring in 1954 when over 400 people were trampled or drowned. In 2013, 36 people lost their lives in a similar crowd crush.

Rooted in Hindu mythology, the Kumbh Mela is believed to have originated from a cosmic battle between deities and demons for a sacred pitcher (Kumbh) containing the nectar of immortality. According to legend, four drops of this nectar fell at Prayagraj, Nashik, Ujjain, and Haridwar, making these cities hosts of the festival at different intervals. A central part of the Mela is the ritual bathing in the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati rivers, with Hindus believing that immersing themselves in the holy waters cleanses sins and grants salvation.

Wednesday’s stampede occurred on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most significant bathing days of the festival, when millions of devotees take a “Shahi Snan” or “Royal Bath,” believing that celestial alignments purify the waters. The festival will conclude on February 26 with the final holy bath. While authorities continue to monitor crowd density and enhance security, the tragedy highlights the challenges of managing such an enormous gathering.

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