Stampede at ‘World’s Largest Religious Gathering’ Maha Kumbh: At Least 15 Dead

A stampede at the Maha Kumbh, described as “the world’s largest religious festival,” has resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people in India. According to the Indian press, over 160,000 tents were set up and nearly 400 kilometers of temporary roads were constructed for the visitors attending the festival in Uttar Pradesh. Hospitals, fire services, and thousands of portable toilets were also set up in the region.

According to media local officials reported 38 deaths, while others, including doctors, stated the number could range from 15 to 50. India Today reported numerous injuries as well.

Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath explained that the stampede occurred when some individuals, intending to bathe in the Triveni Sangam River to cleanse themselves of sins, jumped over barriers.

This year, more than 400 million Hindus are expected to bathe in the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, over the course of 45 days.

‘The World’s Largest Religious Festival’

Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges during the festival helps cleanse them of sins and aids in escaping the cycle of death and rebirth. Maha Kumbh Mela is considered the largest religious festival in the world. In 2001, a world record was set when 60 million people gathered on the same day to bathe in the Ganges in Allahabad.

In 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Hindus bathed at Triveni Sangam to observe the ritual.