Maha Kumbh 2025 ends with over 63 crore holy dips in Prayagraj; when is the next Mela?

India’s Maha Kumbh Mela, the world's largest religious gathering, ends today, February 26, with the final dip at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. Over 63 crore people have attended the 45-day Maha Kumbh this year, according to the Uttar Pradesh government, making it one of the most significant events of the year, both culturally and economically.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in a post on X that 63.36 crore devotees took a holy dip during the Maha Kumbh 2025.

Devotees in large numbers are ready to participate in the final ‘Amrit Snan’ today. Amrit Snan is a bathing ritual that is believed to bring people closer to ‘Moksha’, offering spiritual purification by cleansing sins.

“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. Kumbh Mela, in Hinduism, is a religious pilgrimage that is celebrated four times over the course of 12 years. The geographical location of Kumbh Mela spans over four locations in India,” says the official website of District Prayagraj.

When is the next Maha Kumbh?

The next Maha Kumbh will be held in 2037 in Prayagraj’s Triveni Sangam, continuing the 12-year cycle. As per media reports, the main dates for ‘snan’ (bathing) in 2037 Maha Kumbh are:

• Makara Sankranti: January 14, 2037
• Mauni Amavasya: January 16, 2037
• Vasant Panchami: January 21, 2037

Upcoming Kumbh Melas

Kumbh Mela site keeps rotating between one of the four pilgrimages: Haridwar, Uttarakhand (on the banks of Ganges); Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh (on the banks of Shipra); Nashik, Maharashtra (on the banks of Godavari); Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical invisible Sarasvati). A Purna Kumbh Mela in Nashik is expected to be held between July 17, 2027 and August 17, 2027, as per reports.