UPSSSC Test 7

The Kumbh Mela held at Prayagraj is one of the most significant religious gatherings in the world and stands as a remarkable testament to the spiritual heritage of India. Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad, is situated at the sacred confluence of three rivers — the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati — a site revered in Hindu tradition as the Triveni Sangam. The Kumbh Mela is held every twelve years as a Maha Kumbh, every six years as an Ardh Kumbh, and annually as a Magh Mela at this holy site. The 2019 Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj was designated as a Maha Kumbh Mela and drew an estimated attendance of over twenty-four crore pilgrims over its forty-nine-day duration, making it the largest peaceful gathering of human beings ever recorded. The religious significance of the Kumbh Mela is rooted in ancient Hindu scripture and mythology. According to the Puranas, drops of Amrit, the nectar of immortality, fell at four locations — Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik — as gods and demons fought over the Kumbh, or pitcher, of Amrit. Bathing in the sacred waters at these locations during the Kumbh is believed to cleanse one of all sins and break the cycle of birth and death. The main bathing dates, known as Shahi Snan or royal bath, are determined by planetary alignments involving Jupiter, the Sun, and the Moon, and these dates draw the largest crowds including hundreds of thousands of sadhus, saints, and ascetics from various monastic orders. The management of the Kumbh Mela in 2019 was widely praised as a model of large-scale event administration. The Uttar Pradesh government established a dedicated Kumbh Mela Authority and invested heavily in temporary infrastructure including pontoon bridges across the Ganga, tent cities, sanitation facilities, electricity supply, and digital surveillance systems. Over forty thousand security personnel were deployed, and an integrated command and control centre monitored crowd movement in real time using artificial intelligence-based cameras. The event also highlighted Prayagraj's historical legacy as a centre of learning, culture, and political history, with the city having hosted the All India Congress session of 1888 and being the birthplace of several national leaders.