400 million people were expected in 45 days: Stampede at festival in India... Dozens dead

According to initial reports, 40 people lost their lives in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, located in India's Uttar Pradesh state.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that the stampede occurred because some individuals, who had gone to bathe in the Triveni Sangam River to cleanse themselves of their sins, attempted to jump over barriers.

While initial reports indicate that 40 people died in the stampede, it was also announced that a large number of people were injured.

According to a report by the India Today newspaper, the stampede broke out in the city of Allahabad during the festival, which is held once every 12 years and lasts for 45 days.

As part of the festival, which began on January 13 with the participation of millions, more than 160 thousand tents and approximately 400 kilometers of temporary roads were built in the city to accommodate visitors.

Over the course of 45 days, more than 400 million Hindus are expected to enter the Triveni Sangam River—the point where the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers meet, which is considered 'holy water'—to become 'pilgrims'.

THE LARGEST RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD

The Maha Kumbh Mela is considered the 'world's largest religious festival'. For Hindus, the Ganges River holds a sacred meaning. Bathing in the river, especially during celebration periods, is seen as a way to cleanse oneself of sins.

It is also believed that this ritual brings liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. In 2001, in the city of Allahabad, 60 million people gathered on the same day to enter the Ganges River, setting a world record.

Furthermore, millions of Hindus entered and bathed in the Triveni Sangam River in 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.