The Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj has generated over £30bn in business, making it one of India's largest economic events, said CAIT Secretary General and MP Praveen Khandelwal.
Held once in every 144 years, Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj (Jan 13–Feb 26) is drawing millions of devotees. Khandelwal highlighted its strong link between faith and economy.
Maha Kumbh is driving local trade with high demand for themed products like diaries, calendars, and jute bags. Khandelwal noted initial estimates projected 400mn visitors and £20bn in business.
Several world records are also being attempted, including 15,000 workers cleaning 10 km of the Ganga and Yamuna riverbanks, with 300 participating in river cleaning. Another record involves 300 divers conducting an underwater cleanup in the Ganga, backed by Rs 85,53,000 budget.
A third aims to showcase 1,000 e-rickshaws operating simultaneously on Triveni Marg, supporting the Green Maha Kumbh initiative. The fourth seeks to collect 10,000 handprints in 8 hours on canvases at Ganga Pandal and other key locations.
Katrina Kaif seeks blessings with a holy dip
Katrina Kaif visited the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, where she took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. During her visit on February 24, she met Swami Chidanand Saraswati and sought his blessings.
Katrina was accompanied by her mother-in-law, Veena Kaushal. Katrina expressed her gratitude and excitement about participating in the Kumbh Mela. She stated, "I am very fortunate that I could come here this time. I am really happy and grateful. I met Swami Chidanand Saraswati and took his blessings. I am just starting my experience here. I like the energy, the beauty, and the significance of everything. I am looking forward to spending the whole day here."
On February 13, her husband, actor Vicky Kaushal, visited the Kumbh Mela, just before the release of his film 'Chhaava'. Earlier in the day, Akshay Kumar visited Kumbh Mela and took the holy dip. He expressed his gratitude for the seamless and well-organised arrangements at the venue, praising the efforts made to ensure a smooth experience for all devotees.
