Kumbh to propel goal of Viksit Bharat: Modi

The Maha Kumbh next year will play an important role in India's journey to becoming a developed nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he described the mega religious event as a "mahayagya of unity" that will take the country's cultural and spiritual identity to new heights.

- 

Addressing a public gathering in Prayagraj after inaugurating 167 development projects worth Rs 5,500 crore, Modi also emphasised the event's role in promoting social cohesion as well as economic empowerment of communities, saying that every Indian who took a dip in the holy confluence represented "Ek Bharat, Shreshta Bharat (one India, greatest India)".

"The country is strongly moving ahead towards the goal of becoming a developed country and the Maha Kumbh-2025 will play an important role towards this mission," Modi said. "The Maha Kumbh is a mahayagya of unity. It will take the country's cultural and spiritual identity to new heights."

The 2025 Maha Kumbh will be held from January 13 (Paush Poornima) to February 26 (Maha Shivratri) at Prayagraj. It will be the world's largest religious gathering and more than 400 million people are expected during the 45-day event. The Prime Minister emphasised the historical importance of the event, saying seers and sages have, for centuries, used it as a platform to discuss national issues and provide valuable guidance.