Kumbh Mela 2019 enters Guinness Book of World Records: Government

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Culture on Sunday said in a statement said that the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019 has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest crowd management, largest sanitation drive and largest painting exercise of public sites.

"A three-member team from the Guinness World Records visited Prayagraj for the purpose. Exercises at a large-scale were performed before the team for four days, from February 28 to March 3. Around 503 shuttle buses were pressed into service on the highway in one go for the team on February 28. Several people participated in a painting exercise on March 1 and 10,000 workers engaged in cleaning at the Kumbh, all performing their duties together," the Ministry of Culture said.

The Kumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred pitcher) 2019 started on January 14 and is scheduled to conclude on March 4. The Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh will end with the sixth and final "Shahi Snan" (royal bath) on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. The Ministry's statement noted that the previous five royal baths at Kumbh Mela 2019 were held successfully with over 22 crore pilgrims from different parts of the country and world taking holy dips, IANS reported.

The Kumbh Mela 2019 is spread over an area of 3,200 hectare, while it was spread across 1,600 hectare area in the previous melas. The Kumbh Mela is the largest congregation of people anywhere in the world. Ardh Kumbh is held in every six years, while the Kumbh Mela comes after 12 years.

This year the Uttar Pradesh had renamed Ardh Kumbh as Kumbh and the Kumbh as Maha Kumbh. The Kumbh Mela is attended by ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis and pilgrims from all walks of life.