President Droupadi Murmu visited the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Monday, where she took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam, the sacred confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Following the dip, she offered prayers at the site, marking a significant spiritual gesture.
President Murmu is only the second Indian President to perform the ritual at the Sangam, following in the footsteps of Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
She was welcomed in Prayagraj by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel. “Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Smt. Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath received President Droupadi Murmu on her arrival at Prayagraj,” Rashtrapati Bhavan shared on X.
As part of her visit, President Murmu fed migratory birds at the Triveni Sangam and later offered prayers at the Akshayavat and Bade Hanuman Temple. Chief Minister Adityanath accompanied her throughout the spiritual tour.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, which began on January 13, 2025, has already witnessed an immense turnout. On Sunday alone, around 8.43 million devotees participated in the holy dip, bringing the total number of visitors so far to over 420 million. The grand spiritual and cultural event celebrated as the world’s largest gathering of its kind, will conclude on Mahashivratri, February 26.
Traffic Chaos at Maha Kumbh
Sunday’s massive influx of pilgrims led to unprecedented traffic jams, with vehicles stretching up to 300 kilometers on roads leading to Prayagraj. The congestion left lakhs of devotees stranded, some stuck in their cars hundreds of kilometers away from the sacred site.
Described by many as the “world’s biggest traffic jam,” the gridlock impacted routes from Madhya Pradesh to Prayagraj. Police intervened by stopping vehicles in various Madhya Pradesh districts to manage the flow, but delays stretched for hours, leaving many frustrated as they struggled to reach the holy gathering.