Mahashivratri 2025: The Last Holy Dip of Mahakumbh Today in Prayagraj, Massive Influx of Devotees

The final holy dip of Mahakumbh on the occasion of Mahashivratri is taking place today, Wednesday. Thousands of devotees from across India and abroad have gathered in Prayagraj to take a dip in the Triveni Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the invisible Saraswati meet. Since January 13, approximately 643.3 million devotees have participated in the ritualistic bath.

On Tuesday, an enormous crowd of devotees flooded the Triveni Sangam. Pilgrims can be seen everywhere, and the Sangam shores are packed. From dawn till dusk, and even through the midnight hours, the spiritual bathing continues without pause. Devotees have been taking dips round the clock. Even in the late hours of Monday night at 1:30 AM, when most of the country was asleep, the Sangam was bustling with activity.

With today’s final holy dip, Mahakumbh will conclude, and the number of devotees has reached its peak. The entry points of Prayagraj are witnessing heavy congestion. Additionally, from Tuesday at 4 PM, the fair area was declared a no-vehicle zone, and from 6 PM, the entire Prayagraj Commissionerate was also restricted for vehicular movement.

Shiva’s Grand Procession in Kashi Tomorrow

To make the Mahashivratri Festival grand, the city of Varanasi, the abode of Baba Vishwanath, is fully prepared. For the first time, Baba Vishwanath’s temple will remain open for 46.5 hours straight, allowing uninterrupted darshan for devotees. Starting from February 26 at dawn, after the Mangala Aarti, regular darshan will continue till February 28 at 1 AM, with only a brief rest of one and a half hours for the deity.

With the overwhelming number of devotees in Kashi, the traditional Shiva Baraat (Shiva’s wedding procession) will be held on February 27, a day after Mahashivratri, marking the first such rescheduling in 42 years.

Devotees Flock to Ayodhya for Ram Lalla’s Darshan

Along with Mahashivratri and Mahakumbh, Ayodhya is also witnessing a massive influx of devotees. On Tuesday, thousands of devotees had darshan of Lord Ram Lalla, with long queues forming outside the temple.

In the last 52 days, 160 million devotees have visited Ayodhya. UP CM Yogi Adityanath, in the Legislative Council, stated that Mahakumbh has connected Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, and Gorakhpur as the five new pilgrimage sites. He also noted that while 1.4 million devotees visit Mecca for Hajj, and Vatican City sees 8 million visitors annually, Ayodhya alone welcomed 160 million devotees in just 52 days.