PRAYAGRAJ/VARANASI: The city of Prayagraj became the spiritual epicentre for 45 days, welcoming more than 64 crore people in a colossal pilgrimage. Now, as Maha Kumbh draws to a close after Wednesday’s Maha Shivratri snan, the sacred hum of prayers will fade. The makeshift settlements along Triveni Sangam will be dismantled. The city will slowly return to its everyday rhythm.
The farewell will take place at Kashi Vishwanath temple, with Naga sadhus – ascetics wrapped in ash and mystery – offering prayers on Maha Shivratri. Their journey, one that began in the confluence of Sangam, will culminate in Varanasi, the timeless city where Shiva himself is believed to reside. “We will bow before Kashi Vishwanath in all its splendour,” said Mahant Prem Giri, president of Juna Akhara, overseeing the final preparations. With chariots mounted on tractor trolleys and the air thick with chants of “Har Har Mahadev”, the Shaiv Akharas will part ways.
Some will remain in Varanasi to oversee internal matters and prepare for upcoming akhara elections, while the rest will disperse to distant hermitages, awaiting their next great gathering in Trimbakeshwar for the Nasik Kumbh in 2027. The next Prayagraj Maha Kumbh lies far ahead, in 2031 – a date marked in the unseen folds of time.
For Prayagraj, Maha Kumbh was more than just a religious event – it was a transformation. The streets overflowed with pilgrims, temples resonated with endless prayers, and the ghats bore witness to millions seeking salvation in the holy waters. Now, as the pilgrims depart, the city is left with a profound sense of nostalgia. “Since Jan 13, we felt like the centre of the universe,” said Gopesh Tripathi, a businessman.