All for the holy dip!

Bigger than before, The Ardh Kumbh Mela now spreads over an area with a radius of 45 km against a 20 km radius earlier. This year’s Kumbh Mela at Pragyaraj (Allahbad) will be held from Makar Sankranti January 15 to Mahashivratri on March 4.

Several devotees from the city too have packed their bags and are ready to take the trip. We speak to a few of them to find out what excites them the most of the things they can do — from taking a plunge in the water to to signing-up for a helicopter ride for a magnificent aerial view.

I am not very superstitious but now I am very excited to go and take a holy dip in the water. This year the government has taken the initiative to completely renovate the place, and a new temporary city has been set up along Prayagraj. I am looking forward to the visit.”
— Ajitha Reddy, Director, Hamstech Institute of Fashion & Interior Design

Whenever we hear about Kumbh Mela, we visualise an image of huge crowds and dirty water. But things have changed a lot in recent times especially this year where the government has left no stone unturned to make it a grand event with the help of AI. I am really looking forward to the experience of a lifetime
— Priyankka Ganeriwal Arora,  Chairperson, FLO Hyderabad

The Kumbh Mela is much more than a holy trip and going there with my friends makes it even more special. This has always been on my travel wish list and it is said that if someone takes a dip in the holy water they will attain moksha. I am going there with an open mind. Will capture every bit of the experience in my camera.
— Sona Chatwani, interior designer

This will be my second visit to the place as I went once when I was a kid, and my only memory of it is of lots and lots of people. I want to experience everything there but right now I am not sure whether I will take the dip or not. If the divine call comes I will surely do it.
— Uma Chigurupati, wine connoisseur

We will be going on February 14 after the main rush is over. I have heard about all the preparations the government has done to make it tourist friendly. I am also looking forward to the helicopter joyride over the entire area.
— Manjula Rajeev, interior designer