Tragedy Strikes Maha Kumbh Festival in India as Stampede Claims Lives
At least 30 people lost their lives and many others were injured in a stampede during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious gathering, early Wednesday in Prayagraj, northern India, The Associated Press reports.
Police reported that around 60 individuals were rushed to hospitals following the chaos that erupted as millions of pilgrims attempted to participate in a sacred ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers.
Wednesday marked a significant day in the ongoing six-week Hindu festival, attracting an estimated 100 million devotees, all seeking to cleanse themselves of past sins through a holy dip. The event attracts thousands of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics who lead massive processions to the bathing site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences regarding the loss of life, describing the incident as “extremely sad.” Authorities took more than 16 hours to confirm the casualty figures, which heightened concerns about safety measures during the massive gathering. Despite the tragedy, millions continued to flock to the 4,000-hectare (15-square mile) site, prompting police to utilize megaphones instructing attendees to avoid the confluence. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath encouraged devotees to observe rituals at other riverbanks instead.
By 8 a.m. Wednesday, some 30 million people had already participated in the holy bath, with overall attendance expected to exceed 400 million over the festival’s duration. Since the festival commenced on January 13, nearly 150 million people have already attended, including prominent figures such as Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and celebrities like Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
To accommodate the influx of visitors, a sprawling tent city has been erected along the riverbanks, featuring extensive infrastructure, including roads, electricity, water supplies, 3,000 kitchens, and 11 hospitals. Some 50,000 security personnel are deployed in the city to maintain order and manage crowds, while over 2,500 surveillance cameras monitor crowd density to prevent further tragedies.
The Maha Kumbh festival, which occurs every 12 years, serves as a significant cultural event for India’s predominantly Hindu population, who make up nearly 80% of the country’s 1.4 billion residents. The festival has a history of deadly stampedes; in 2013, at least 40 pilgrims died during a stampede at a train station in Prayagraj. Such incidents are not uncommon in Indian religious gatherings, where large crowds frequently converge in confined areas. Most recently, in July, 116 people were killed in a similar incident at a religious event in Hathras town, primarily affecting women and children.
