Key Points
- Date: January 18, 2026 (Sunday).
- Event: Mauni Amavasya Snan (bathing festival) during Magh Mela.
- Devotee Count:
- 7 AM: 75 lakh+ devotees.
- 9 AM: 1 crore+ devotees.
- Expected Total: 3.5 crore to 4 crore.
- Security: AI-based surveillance, drone monitoring, 10,000+ police personnel, NDRF, and ATS commandos deployed.
- Facilities: 3.5 km long bathing ghats, 16 holding areas for crowd management, and new “Kali Part-2” ghat opened.
Prayagraj: The sacred ritual bathing on the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya is continuing with immense fervour at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj today, January 18, 2026. The banks of the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the invisible Saraswati, have turned into a sea of humanity as devotees braved the winter chill to take a holy dip.
By around 9 AM, officials confirmed that more than one crore devotees had already taken a dip in the holy waters, a testament to the deep spiritual significance of the day. The influx began well before dawn, with reports indicating that 75 lakh devotees had completed their rituals by 7 AM, and nearly 50 lakh had bathed by 4 AM during the Brahma Muhurta.
Unprecedented Crowd Management
The Mela administration has anticipated a record-breaking turnout, estimating that between 3.5 crore and 4 crore pilgrims will visit the ghats by the end of the day. To handle this massive footfall, authorities have expanded the infrastructure significantly. A 3.5-kilometre-long continuous bathing ghat has been developed to prevent overcrowding at any single point. Additionally, a new ghat named ‘Kali Part-2’ has been operationalised to distribute the crowd more evenly.
Crowd control measures are rigorous, with the mela area divided into nine circles and 16 holding areas created to regulate the flow of pilgrims. Traffic diversions were enforced days in advance to ensure smooth movement towards the bathing areas.
High-Tech Security Surveillance
Security has been tightened to the highest level for this major bathing festival. The entire mela grounds are under the surveillance of AI-equipped CCTV cameras and drones to monitor crowd density and detect any suspicious activity in real-time.
More than 10,000 security personnel, including teams from the UP Police, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Rapid Action Force (RAF), and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) commandos, have been deployed across the sector. Water police and divers from the NDRF and SDRF are stationed along the ghats to ensure the safety of bathers in the river. Senior officials, including ADG (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash, have been inspecting the arrangements since early morning to ensure no lapses occur.
A Converging of Faith
This year’s Magh Mela holds special significance as it follows the successful Maha Kumbh of 2025, keeping the spiritual momentum high. Devotees from across India, including Kalpvasis who stay on the banks for the entire month, have joined the millions of floating visitors for this specific bathing date. The district administration has also made special arrangements for pilgrims arriving from directions like Lucknow and Ayodhya to bathe at the Nagvasuki area, further easing pressure on the main Sangam nose.
The Mauni Amavasya snan is considered the most significant day of the Magh Mela, where silence (Mauna) is often observed by devotees to spiritually purify themselves alongside the physical cleansing of the bath.
