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Kumbh Mela 2025: Can AI keep 400 million pilgrims safe?
Rooted in Hindu mythology, this millennia-old festival is famed for its ritual bathing but has a grim history of deadly stampedes.
SENSITIVE MATERIAL. THIS IMAGE MAY OFFEND OR DISTURB Naga Sadhus or Hindu holy men take a holy dip during the "Maha Kumbh Mela", or the Great Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj, India, January 14, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis
The Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, began Monday, January 13, drawing an anticipated 400 million pilgrims over six weeks to the sacred rivers of northern India. Rooted in Hindu mythology, this millennia-old festival is famed for its ritual bathing but has a grim history of deadly stampedes.
Referred to as the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, this year’s event is special because it marks the completion of 12 Kumbh Mela cycles, making it a once-in-144-years event.
Organisers are banking on artificial intelligence to prevent past tragedies from repeating. “We want everyone to go back home happily after having fulfilled their spiritual duties,” Amit Kumar, a senior police officer heading tech operations, said in an interview withAFP.
According to various reports, in 1954, over 400 people died in a single day at the Kumbh Mela. Another 36 lives were lost in 2013. But this year, AI-powered crowd control systems are in play. Some 300 cameras, drones, and a glass-walled command center now oversee the sprawling site at the meeting point of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers.
What Role is AI playing?
“We can look at the entire Kumbh Mela from here. AI is helping us avoid reaching that critical mass in sensitive places,” said Kumar. Algorithms analyse footage to estimate crowd density, cross-checking it with transportation data. Alerts sound when sections of the crowd approach dangerous concentrations.
Six million devotees took their first sacred dip on opening day. With numbers exceeding the combined populations of the U.S. and Canada, Kumar acknowledged the inevitability of tight crowds. But he emphasised that the system accommodates India’s higher tolerance for density.
Organisers tout the festival as a union of “faith and modernity.” A pilgrim told AFP that,
“The fact that there are cameras and drones makes us feel safe.”
Instances AI Helped in Crowd Management
The Kumbh Mela isn’t the only large-scale event turning to AI for safety. In Saudi Arabia, the Hajj pilgrimage, which annually attracts over two million Muslims to Mecca, has also adopted AI solutions. Drones and AI-powered surveillance systems monitor pilgrim flow, ensuring smooth movement and reducing risks of stampedes.
Similarly, during the Tokyo Olympics, AI-assisted crowd management systems analysed foot traffic to optimise evacuation routes and prevent congestion in the bustling city. These technologies have proven invaluable in addressing the unique challenges of large gatherings, from religious festivals to sporting events.
With AI as a silent sentinel, the Kumbh Mela hopes to write a new chapter—one of devotion unmarred by disaster.
