Prayagraj turned into an ocean of devotees as the Maha Kumbh Mela entered its eighth day. According to official figures released by the Uttar Pradesh government, over 2.27 million pilgrims had arrived at the Kumbh Mela by 8 a.m. on the eighth day. Among them, one million were Kalpavasis, while 1.27 million pilgrims took the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. Despite unfavorable weather conditions, more than 82.6 million pilgrims visited Prayagraj by January 19.
With four major Shahi Snan days yet to come, the number of devotees is expected to rise in the coming days. The upcoming key bathing days are January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), February 3 (Basant Panchami), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Mahashivratri). On the seventh day of the Maha Kumbh Mela, over five million pilgrims had visited the sacred site by 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to assess the situation following an unexpected incident involving an LPG cylinder explosion the previous day. Though no casualties were reported, additional security measures have been implemented in the area to ensure safety.
