Mahakumbh devotees count crosses 60-crore mark, last snan on February 26

As Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj is ending soon, huge flock of devotees is reaching daily to Prayagraj to take holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday announced that unexpectedly 60 crore devotees at the Maha Kumbh Mela have taken a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam. When the Mahakumbh was just started, government anticipated a foot fall of 45 crore poeple but the count has already crossed 60-crore mark. 

As per an official statement of the government, the count of devotees is expected to cross 65 crore mark by the final ‘amrit snan’ on February 26. Over half of India's 110 crore Sanatan followers have bathed in the holy confluence, the official statement said. The Kumbh Mela which started on January 13 will continue till February 26 on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. 

According to the World Population Review, Pew Research, India's population is approximately 143 crore



(1.43 billion), with 110 crore (1.10 billion) followers of Sanatan Dharma, the statement said. This means that over 55 per cent of the Indian population has taken part in the Maha Kumbh, it said.

On a global scale, according to Pew Research 2024, the number of Sanatan followers stands at 1. 2 billion (120 crore), meaning that over 50 per cent of the Sanatanis worldwide have immersed themselves in the Sangam, it said. 

​The upcoming Maha Shivratri Snan is expected to further push this number beyond 650 million (65 crore), it said. According to the UP government statement, more than 50 lakh people from Nepal, the maternal home of Maa Janaki (Goddess Sita), have bathed in the Triveni Sangam.

The highest turnout occurred on Mauni Amavasya, with nearly 8 crore devotees participating in the holy dip and on Makar Sankranti, around 3.5 crore devotees took a bath during the Amrit Snan.