Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 12 : As the Mahakumbh Mela 2025 enters its final stretch, foreign devotees from across the world are around to witness the grand spectacle.
A pilgrim from Belgium, Edward, speaking about his experience at the mela, stated that currently, it was the "best place" in the world.
"The experience at Mahakumbh is beautiful and fantastic. The crowd and the people are so friendly. It is the best place in the world for today," he said.
Another devotee from France also shared his thoughts on the occasion, stating that it was a "great" place to be here.
"I came here from France. It is a wonderful place to be here...It's amazing what we see here... We are waiting for the Babas," he said.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Police have ramped up security measures for the holy bath on Wednesday during the grand mela on the occasion of Maghi Purnima.
With millions of devotees expected to attend the festivities, the police left no stone unturned to ensure a safe and smooth experience for all.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Vaibhav Krishna said that to manage the massive crowds, the police have declared a no-vehicle zone, allowing only emergency vehicles to pass through.
Special arrangements have been made for crowd movement, and vehicles of Kalpvasis (pilgrims who stay at the Kumbh Mela for a month) will be allowed to enter the fair after bathing.
To avoid chaos, the police have planned special travel arrangements for the day.
With two important bathing festivals still left, the number of those taking a bath is expected to go above 500 million.
Notably, on Tuesday, Mahakumbh achieved the target of 450 million devotees reaching Prayagraj for the religious congregation.
On February 1 and January 30, 17 million pilgrims took a virtuous dip, and on Paush Purnima, 25.7 million devotees took a dip in Triveni on Basant Panchami. Even before Magh Purnima, more than 10 million devotees are reaching the Sangam coast for a holy bath.
The maximum number--80 million devotees--took a bath on Mauni Amavasya, while 35 million devotees took an Amrit bath on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
Mahakumbh, which started on January 13, will continue till February 26. The remaining significant 'snan' dates in Maha Kumbh are February 12 (Maghi Purnima) and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).