Mahakumbh pilgrim count crosses 40 crore

94.07 lakh take holy dip on Friday; 19 days remain for mega event to end with Maha Shivratri snan on Feb 26

- HT Correspondent

MAHAKUMBH NAGAR (PRAYAGRAJ): The total number of devotees having bathed at the Sangam since the beginning of the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj on January 13 reached 40.68 crore (406.8 million) on Friday (till 8pm), according to government claims. The number included 94.07 lakh who bathed on Friday itself.

Earlier, by 8pm on Thursday, the count reached 39.74 crore (397.4 million). As many as 67.20 lakh (6.72 million) pilgrims took a holy dip on Thursday alone. By 10am on February 7, an additional 42.07 lakh devotees had taken a dip in the holy waters. By noon, the count of bathers on the day increased to 47 lakh on Friday followed by 78.78 lakh at 4pm and reached 94.07 lakh, according to official data.

Nineteen days remain for the end of the Mahakumbh on Maha Shivratri on February 26. By then, the total pilgrim count could cross 50 crore (500 million), according to government claims.