"Till February 26 over 45 crore people will take part in Maha Kumbh": UP CM

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 1 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met foreign diplomats at Prayagraj on Saturday, on the sidelines of the ongoing Maha Kumbh.
The UP Chief Minister said that till February 26, he expects that more than 45 crore people will take part in the Maha Kumbh.
He said, "I welcome you all to the MahaKumbh Mela 2025, it is a moment of happiness that the biggest event of the century has been organised in Prayagraj. Your visit encourages us more. Prayagraj is an old city and the organisation of Kumbh is also a byproduct... Till now 35 crore pilgrims have taken part in the MahaKumbh Mela 2025. We believe that till February 26 more than 45 crore people will take part in this... This is an amazement for people. Here Ganga is considered divine. There is a huge scope for spiritual tourism also in the country... Today is an important day, as the Vice President came here and participated in this mass event...The head of missions was also present...I hope this visit will give everyone good memories."
A 118-member delegation, including Heads of Mission (HoM), spouses of HoMs, and diplomats from 77 countries, participated in Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj on Saturday.
Minister of State of Ministry of External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita told ANI, "Maha Kumbh is an experience of a lifetime... The strong delegation of more than 70 nations took part in Maha Kumbh today, took a holy bath, and many of them even offered 'Puja'... This is the strength of our Indian philosophy, culture, and religion. I was delighted to see the satisfaction of the ambassadors."
Katharina Wieser, the Austrian Ambassador to India, told ANI that she was very fascinated by the sheer magnitude of Maha Kumbh.
"The dimension of this festival is fascinating, especially for me as I come from a small country... This confluence of river, the birds, and the evening sun, it's all very beautiful. It's impressive how many people come here peacefully to experience this special and spiritual place... I will remember the calmness of this huge crowd of people taking a dip in the river," she told ANI.
Vetsop Namgyel, the Bhutanese Ambassador to India, says, "I want to thank the Ministry of External Affairs and the UP government for inviting us ambassadors for this special trip to the Sangam... I took the opportunity of taking a dip in the holy junction of the Ganga and Yamuna. It was a spiritual experience. I know the spiritual significance of Maha Kumbh, especially this year... I pray for the everlasting friendship between India and Bhutan. I pray to receive the blessings of Lord Shiva."
Diana Mickeviciene, Lithuania's Ambassador to India, told ANI on the occasion, "It was euphoric. I took a dip but I was worried that it (the water) was going to be cold. But it wasn't that cold... The water is quite sacred here... It's symbolic that we are here at a special place at a special time. Water is sacred in Lithuania too... So this was important to me."
The Maha Kumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred pitcher) is anchored in Hindu mythology. It is the world's largest public gathering and collective act of faith. This congregation, primarily, includes Ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis and Pilgrims from all walks of life, as per the Maha Kumbh website.
The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 that began at Prayagraj on January 13 is set to continue till February 26. The Maha Kumbh is held after every 144 years. (ANI)