Officials had been preparing for months for the world’s largest religious festival, with around 400 million Hindu pilgrims expected to take part

With the Nashik Kumbh Mela in 2027 expected to draw lakhs of devotees, multiple challenges lie ahead for the administration.

A stampede at the Maha Kumbh on January 29 resulted in 30 deaths and 60 injuries as millions gathered for Mauni Amavasya. The Uttar Pradesh government announced ₹25 lakh assistance for victims' families and initiated a judicial inquiry into the incident.

A deadly stampede on Wednesday (Jan 29) at the Maha Kumbh Mela in India's Prayagraj, on the Mauni Amavasya ritual, one of the most significant events of the gathering, has dozens of feared casualties.