PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) — Hindus venerate rivers, and none more so than the Ganges. The faithful believe that a dip in its waters will cleanse them of their past sins.
Wherever other sacred rivers flow into the Ganges, the benefits of bathing at the confluence on auspicious days increases manyfold. A devotee can hope to begin a journey to achieve Hindu philosophy’s ultimate goal — the release from the cycles of birth and death.
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Sanitation workers walk to their work area on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Police officials test a remote-controlled lifebuoy on the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers lay metal sheets to build a temporary road on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Women make clay stoves to be sold to the devotees who will be staying on the banks of the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Stray dogs relax on a street next to a wall freshly painted as part of a beautification drive, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers tar a road in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers put up electric cables and install surveillance cameras on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A Hindu holy man prays sitting next to an earthmover moving sand on the banks of the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, center, in saffron robe, inspects a control center of the municipal corporation in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Firefighters on motorcycles decorated with balloons ride through the town in a public relations exercise before the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers paint the railings of a bridge over the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers carry a slab of stone to be used for the beautification of a street in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers make a floating platform on the Ganges river from interlocking plastic cubes, right, next to a finished one supporting changing rooms for the VIPs, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers repair a boat next to a pile of interlocking plastic cubes meant for building a floating jetty on the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build a mural in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build replicas of the twelve Jyotirlingas, important temples spread across India dedicated to Hindu god Shiva, enclosed by a shape representing the map of India, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Portable toilets are kept on the banks of the Ganges river before installation, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build pontoon bridges over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers prepare to join a section of a pontoon bridge over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A crew inspects overhead power cables meant for railway engines as others work on an overhead bridge in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build a pontoon bridge over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
An earthmover works on the banks of the Ganges river preparing the site for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Hindu holy men, or Sadhus, inspect a site for their camp on the banks of the Ganges river for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
The most propitious of these days occur in cycles of 12 years. When the time comes for Prayagraj, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, millions flock to the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers during a festival called the Maha Kumbh Mela.
It has become the largest such gathering of humans anywhere on Earth.
In 2025, between Jan. 13 and Feb. 26, about 400 million people, more than the population of the United States, are expected to participate in the festival.
Planning for such an incredible number of pilgrims can be a logistics nightmare, but the local government has some experience.
It successfully organized a smaller version of the festival called Ardh Kumbh, or Half Kumbh, in 2019, when 240 million visitors were recorded, with about 50 million taking a ritual bath on the busiest day.
Planning for even larger numbers in 2025, the state government has formed the Maha Kumbh Mela area in Prayagraj into a separate administrative district for four months.
As the 2025 festival draws closer, construction of the temporary district is in full swing. Divided into 25 sections and spreading over 40 square kilometers (15 square miles), it will have housing, roads, electricity and water, communication towers and 11 hospitals.
Hundreds of workers and machines are crowding the river’s edge. Working around the clock, they are laying water and drainage pipes, building 30 pontoon bridges (up from 22 in 2019), and compacting sand dredged from the river to enlarge the banks along the 12-kilometer (7-mile) -long stretch where pilgrims will gather to bathe.
Scaffolding for tents, some of which will house as many as 25,000 pilgrims, is being erected.
About 20,000 workers are responsible for keeping the area and its more than 150,000 temporary toilets clean.
About 50,000 security personnel — a 50% increase from 2019 — are being trained in how to keep the festival safe.
“The mela can be a very stressful environment for the personnel, so we are teaching them stress management and training them in soft skills to interact better with the pilgrims,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Rajesh Diwedi, who is overseeing security operations.
More than 2,500 cameras, some powered by AI, will send crowd movement and density information to four central control rooms, where officials can quickly deploy personnel to avoid stampedes.
Many devotees will stay for more than a month, observing austerity, giving alms and bathing at sunrise every day.
Sanitation workers walk to their work area on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Police officials test a remote-controlled lifebuoy on the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers lay metal sheets to build a temporary road on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Women make clay stoves to be sold to the devotees who will be staying on the banks of the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Stray dogs relax on a street next to a wall freshly painted as part of a beautification drive, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers tar a road in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers put up electric cables and install surveillance cameras on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A Hindu holy man prays sitting next to an earthmover moving sand on the banks of the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, center, in saffron robe, inspects a control center of the municipal corporation in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Firefighters on motorcycles decorated with balloons ride through the town in a public relations exercise before the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers paint the railings of a bridge over the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers carry a slab of stone to be used for the beautification of a street in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers make a floating platform on the Ganges river from interlocking plastic cubes, right, next to a finished one supporting changing rooms for the VIPs, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers repair a boat next to a pile of interlocking plastic cubes meant for building a floating jetty on the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build a mural in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build replicas of the twelve Jyotirlingas, important temples spread across India dedicated to Hindu god Shiva, enclosed by a shape representing the map of India, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Portable toilets are kept on the banks of the Ganges river before installation, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build pontoon bridges over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers prepare to join a section of a pontoon bridge over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A crew inspects overhead power cables meant for railway engines as others work on an overhead bridge in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build a pontoon bridge over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
An earthmover works on the banks of the Ganges river preparing the site for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Hindu holy men, or Sadhus, inspect a site for their camp on the banks of the Ganges river for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
