The government has directed the Hooghly district administration to take all necessary measures for the shahi snan (royal bath) at Triveni Sangam on 12 January.
The Bengal Kumbh Mahotsav is set to commence on 10 February, drawing thousands of devotees to the sacred confluence. With many devotees unable to travel to Prayagraj’s Mahakumbh in Uttar Pradesh, saints have assured that taking a dip in the Triveni Sangam will bestow the same divine blessings.
A massive turnout is anticipated. Bansberia Municipality chairman Aditya Neogi and Becharam Manna, minister of state for panchayat and rural development, have discussed arrangements with district authorities. “Adequate police deployment will be in place. Ten bio-toilets and essential services will be arranged. Additional security personnel will be stationed to manage the crowd. Our government is giving priorities for this Kumbh Mela,” said Mr Manna. A coordination meeting was held with the fair’s organising committee, municipal officials, and various government departments. Kanchan Bandopadhyay, chief advisor of the 2025 Bongiyo Tribeni Kumbh Porichalona Committee, stated that hundreds of saints will be present at the festival.
“The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has accepted our request not to schedule secondary examinations near this time. We have also requested that for the next five years, exams should not be held during this period,” Kanchan Bandopadhyay added. Swami Prematmananda Ji Maharaj, head of Bansberia Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Ashram, confirmed their participation, emphasising their continued tradition of serving saints and participating in the grand procession. Apart from Tribeni, the Bengal Kumbh Mela will be grandly celebrated at Kalyani Majher Char and Gauranga Mahaprabhu Ghat in Nadia. Swami Shiveshwarananda Maharaj, president of Ramakrishna Vedanta Mission and Bangiya Kumbh Mela Committee, announced, “From 10 to 16 February, the festival will feature the Shahi Snan on 12 February, along with Maha Rudrabhishek, Vishwashanti Yagna, Ganga Aarti, devotional music, and spiritual discourses.” The Tribeni Kumbh Mela dates back 700 years, when saints returning from Gangasagar would participate in the Magh Sankranti bath at Tribeni. Though the tradition faded over time, it has been revived in recent years.