The Maha Kumbh Mela would be probably the biggest social extravaganza in the country in the ordinary course of activity. This is because it is a periodic event and is quite predictable. Unlike the IPL or any big sporting event, this festival brings people from across the country to one single location based on faith and belief. It is probably the largest congregation of people in the world which is expected to be around 400 mn over a period of 45 days starting on January 13 right through February 26. This festival has historically been an exposition of how good India is in planning such events which generally goes off very smoothly notwithstanding the numbers and logistics involved. Needless to say, it creates a temporary economy for this period of time covering a vast multitude of economic activity. Specifically it would provide a boost to the economies of Uttar Pradesh and hence India. Hence, going beyond faith, the event is very significant for the economy at large.

The Mahakumbh festival comes every 12 years while smaller gatherings take place periodically, with Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain being the other centres. The economic impact can be gauged from the fact that over 400 million visitors including pilgrims would be visiting Prayagraj on this occasion. This is much higher than the 250 mn which visited in the last festival. In fact, the number would be higher than the overall population of Uttar Pradesh which is around 250-260 mn. The festival attracts a large number of overseas visitors and the accommodation that has been created aligns with the varied backgrounds of visitors.

Preparations for this festival from the government started from April onwards and has reached its........

© Free Press Journal