The auspicious occasion of Mouni Amavasya kicks off this evening. As the Kumbh Mela's second Amrit Snan day approaches, the administration anticipates around 120 million devotees to gather in Prayagraj on January 29. Indian Railways have ramped up preparations to manage the influx. Special trains, arriving every 4 minutes from different parts of the country, are bringing a continuous flow of devotees to Prayagraj station.
In the Kumbh area, unique pathways are guiding pilgrims directly to specific bathing ghats. Each visitor will enter from a particular direction, take a sacred dip at the corresponding ghat, and exit the same way. Intensive arrangements have been made for crowd control in the Kumbh area.
Source: aajtak
Across the nation, train stations are witnessing massive crowds. Overfilled trains arrive with passengers struggling to secure a seat. People find it extremely challenging to even set foot inside the trains.
At Least 150 Special Trains In One Day
Since Mouni Amavasya falls on Wednesday, and expecting a spike in passenger numbers, Indian Railways have planned to run special trains from Prayagraj station every four minutes. Considered a major bathing ritual, officials from the Ministry of Railways have communicated that at least 150 special trains will run on a single day, marking a significant achievement compared to the 85 trains deployed during the half Kumbh of 2019.
Source: aajtak
Thousands Gather at Mugalsarai Junction
Currently, thousands of devotees from regions such as Purvanchal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha are arriving at the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction (formerly Mugalsarai Junction) to catch trains. RPF and GRP personnel are proactively managing chaos. Videos from the junction reveal throngs waiting impatiently for trains.
Ready to Board with Luggage on Heads
Another video surfaced showing train coaches crammed to capacity, with people outside poised with luggage on their heads, ready to squeeze in.
Desperate Mob Attacks Trains
A frenzy over not being able to board a train headed to Prayagraj from Jhansi boiled into a violent attack. The crowd besieged a train at Harpalpur station, resorting to vandalism and stone-pelting. The ferocity of the mob induced terror among passengers inside. Videos of the chaos are widely circulating on social media.
Source: aajtak
In the video, several people can be seen hurling stones at the compartments. It is reported that when they failed to enter the compartments, the mob attacked the train's doors and windows. With an anticipated record-breaking crowd on January 29 for Mouni Amavasya, millions of devotees are flocking to Prayagraj starting today.
Over 150 Million Devotees Have Taken the Holy Dip
Since the Makar Sankranti until the morning of January 28, 2025, more than 150 million devotees have already taken the holy dip, expressing their deep-seated faith. Approximately 3.5 million pilgrims participated during this year's Makar Sankranti. Tomorrow, during Mouni Amavasya, an expected 8 to 10 million devotees will partake in the sacred bath.
INPUT: Uday Gupta
