Rs.4200 crores is the allocated budget for this year’s Kumbh/Kumbha Mela in the Sangam city of Allahabad, this budget is set by the Uttar Pradesh Government and is over three times of the budget of the Maha Kumbh back in 2013, and this makes it the most expensive pilgrimage ever.
State Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal said: “The UP government has allocated Rs. 4,200 crore for 2019 Kumbh Mela. The previous state government had spent around Rs. 1,300 crores for the Maha Kumbh, which was held in 2013.”
Minister Agarwal said, there are other departments that have contributed and helped allocate funds for this special and mega event.
In addition to that, he also said that the area has been nearly doubled as a comparison to the previous years, Kumbh Mela 2019 is being held in a 3,200 hectare space, and previously it was only 1,600.
The State Finance Minister stated that the goal has always been to enhance and establish facilities on the ground level for the annually held Mela.
The Kumbh or Kumbha Mela is the largest public gathering held in the world. Also known as the festival of the sacred pitcher and is anchored in the Hindu Mythology. The Ardh Kumbh is only held once in every 6 years, and the Kumbh Mela is only held once after 12 years.
Yogi Adityanath has renamed the Kumbh as Maha Kumbh, and Ardh Kumbh as Kumbh.
In the span of 48 days, the Kumbh Mela is a place where more than 10 million pilgrims take a bath in the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati River.
Here are 6 bathing dates for this year’s Kumbh:
- Makar Sankranti on January 15
- Paush Poornima on January 21
- Mauni Amawasya on February 4
- Basant Panchami on February 10
- Maghi Poornima on February 19
- Mahashivratri on March 4