Hundreds of millions of Hindu devotees have gathered to bathe in sacred waters, despite concerns over overcrowding and water pollution, as the world’s largest religious gathering concluded on Wednesday in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Over the past 45 days, more than 620 million people—nearly a third of India’s roughly 1.4 billion population—have attended the Maha Kumbh Mela, or the festival of the Sacred Pitcher, on the riverbanks in the city of Prayagraj. The festival, a vibrant spectacle of color and faith, draws followers who take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, seeking spiritual purification and liberation.
A Rare and Spiritual Experience
The Maha Kumbh Mela occurs every 12 years, making it the largest form of the Kumbh Mela, which is held every three years in one of four cities. The event’s scale and significance attract people from across the country.
“It is a unique, once in a lifetime experience,” said Sushovan Sircar, 36, an independent consultant from Delhi. “People from all over India are here, as I saw number plates of cars from almost every state.”
Safety and Environmental Concerns
Despite its spiritual significance, this year’s gathering has been marred by two separate, deadly crowd crushes. Millions have continued to attend the festival amid concerns about overcrowding and reports of unsafe water conditions at key bathing sites.
A report from the Central Pollution and Control Board (CPCB), part of India’s Environment Ministry, found high levels of coliform fecal bacteria in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers last month. This comes despite government claims of sustainability initiatives and sanitation efforts.
Disputed Water Quality Reports
Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath refuted the findings of the pollution report, maintaining that the water was safe not only for bathing but also for the Hindu ritual of drinking a handful after immersion.
Attendees frequently submerge themselves fully in the rivers, sometimes drinking or collecting the sacred water in containers. However, environmental concerns persist.
Before the festival commenced, India’s top environmental court directed state and federal pollution boards to ensure that the river water was clean enough for drinking and bathing. Authorities were tasked with increasing monitoring, sampling, and preventing the discharge of untreated sewage and solid waste into the rivers.
Pollution Levels Far Exceed Safe Limits
Despite these directives, a report submitted by the federal pollution board on February 3 revealed alarming findings. It stated that fecal coliform levels—a key indicator of untreated sewage and contamination—were far above the board’s safety threshold of 2,500 units per 100 milliliters. In some areas of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers around Prayagraj, contamination levels were more than 1,000 times over the safe limit.
As the festival concludes, the debate over river pollution and public safety continues, raising questions about future efforts to balance religious tradition with environmental responsibility.
