The Maha Kumbh mela, being held in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, is so grand that it can be seen from space and the images released by Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) show what the fair looks like from up above. Over 400 million people are expected to attend that 45-day-long grand event, which began on January 13.
This iconic religious gathering, held every 12 years, is touted as the world’s single largest religious gathering. A huge number of pilgrims, visitors, and sadhus are attending the event.
The images by Isro show a massive infrastructure made at the fair which is being attended by millions of people from across the world.
Satellite imagery from January 17 showed the bathing ghats near the Sangam heavily crowded with devotees. It also shows thousands of red, white, and yellow tents across the riverbank of Sangam, along with several boats taking devotees on rides. According to officials, 1.6 lakh tents and 50,000 shops have been set up for the event.
FIRE INCIDENT
A massive fire broke out in the Maha Kumbh Mela area on Sunday evening, starting in the kitchen of the Geeta Press camp. The blaze quickly spread, destroying six tents and 40 temporary shelters. While no casualties were reported, one person, identified as Jaspreet, sustained injuries while trying to escape the scene.
Satellite images accessed by India Today show the campsite of the Geeta Press near to the railway bridge in the sector 19 area. These pictures were taken on January 17th, days before the fire incident.
The incident site is visible in the satellite imagery captured by US based space firm Maxar Technologies, showing red tents and shelters located right beside the railway bridge. The campsite was located near the riverside.
This year, the Kumbh Mela – being held at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers – holds even more significance as it is taking place after 144 years, due to a rare alignment of planets. A Poorna Kumbh occurs every 12 years. The Maha Kumbh is a form of Poorna Kumbh which is held once in 144 years. In a rare occurrence, the Moon, Sun, Mercury and Jupiter align together, making the Maha Kumbh the most auspicious Kumbh Mela and a once in a lifetime experience.