Mahakumbh Nagar, Feb 18: The Uttar Pradesh government Tuesday said an unprecedented 55 crore devotees at the Maha Kumbh Mela have taken a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam.
The Kumbh Mela which started on January 13 will continue till February 26 (Maha Shivratri).
Half of India’s 110 crore Sanatan followers have immersed themselves, and this number is expected to surpass 60 crore by the final bathing ritual on February 26, an official statement said, adding this Maha Kumbh has seen the largest participation in any religious, cultural, or social event.
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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.
The number of those who took bath at the Triveni Sangam represents 50 per cent of India’s Sanatan followers, it claimed.
Compared to India’s total population, over 38 per cent of the country’s people have participated in the holy dip, it said.
On a global scale, according to Pew Research 2024, an estimated 120 crore (1.2 billion) people worldwide follow Sanatan Dharma, meaning that over 45 per cent of Sanatanis worldwide have immersed themselves in the Sangam, it said.
The confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati has witnessed a remarkable surge in the number of saints, devotees, the statement said.
Ahead of the Maha Kumbh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had predicted that this grand event would break records in the number of devotees, forecasting an initial count of 45 crore people.
By February 14, the number had exceeded 50 crore and reached 55 crore on Tuesday, the statement said.
The highest turnout occurred on Mauni Amavasya, with nearly eight crore devotees participating in the holy dip and on Makar Sankranti, around 3.5 crore devotees took a bath during the Amrit Snan.
Additionally, over two crore devotees took a dip on February 1 and January 30, while 1.7 crore participated in Paush Purnima.
On Basant Panchami, 2.57 crore devotees took the dip in the Triveni Sangam, and more than two crore devotees followed suit on Magh Purnima, the statement added. (PTI)
