Maha Kumbh 2025: How India’s Mega-Festival Boosts Economy

Prayagraj: The scope of the Kumbh Mela, the biggest religious gathering in the world, surpasses the metrics of entire countries – and its ramifications on the country’s economy are no less spectacular. 

Manoj Kumar, a taxi driver in Prayagraj, shares, ‘Business is booming everywhere for everyone across our city.’ His home of Prayagraj, was initially a small Indian city of 7 million, but now during Mela, it explodes in population. 

India is known to have a blurred line between religion, politics, and the economy, and the yearlong celebrations of the Kumbh Mela, a prominent Hindu festival, serves as one of the most telling instances. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known to be a Hindu nationalist, and during his tenure, he invested large sums of money for improving the basic amenities of the region.

Effects of Maha Kumbh How It Economically Boosts India’s Mega Kumbh Festival

Modi offered a prayer at the site of the ongoing Mahakumbh 2025 at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on February 5,2025. (ANI) \

Regarding my city, we are noticing a transformation that seems impossible. It is much more advanced than what we could have imagined. It now features new hotels and restaurants, new rods, bridges, and a surplus for to meet the demand for workers. There are also additional flights and trains."

Millions of tourists coming to the Kumbh results in an enormous spending on food, accommodation and transport which creates a tremendous job prospects. With this boost in earnings, Kumar’s earnigs increased daily to approximately $250, which is roughly 8 times more than his ordinary rate.

How the Maha Kumbh Mela Enhanced the Indian Economy and Its Devotees’ Lifestyle After the Festival.

Devotees taking a holy dip in Sangam, with the Ganga, Yamuna, and the Sarasvati at Maghi Purnima during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. (PTI) February 12, 2025 (PTI) 

“I have some of the world’s busiest 20- hour workdays with zero to none rest periods,” he explains, “I am not alone, and I am not even the primary benefactor. This is an extraordinary event in my life.” 

The state government under fire brand Hindu monk Yogi Adityanath, a cross between the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state and a major figure of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), handles ruinous service contracts for its maintenance which makes it impossible to cross check pertinent information regarding the event. This controversial celebration has been endorsed by critics accusing Hindu nationalists of cashing in on an opportunity to polish their political credibility.

How has the Maha Kumbha developed the economy of India using its Psychographic tools.

President Droupadi Murmu releases birds in Prayagraj at the ongoing Mahakumbh 2025 on Monday. Also present was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath. (ANI)

Adityanath also included over 435 million Pilgrims who have reportedly performed a ritual river dip already. Organizers claim that these numbers are based upon artificial intelligence estimates formed around surveillance camera networks. Participatory estimation is also available through February 26, the final day of the festival.

Adityanath has predicted new employment of over 24 billion dollars, which is more than what the entire population of the US and Canada spent combined. While these figures might be puzzling to some, keep in mind that the world’s most populous nation with a whopping 1.4 billion people.

Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry has been cited to say that the economy value can be set as high as 30 billion dollars. With this figure alone, it is clear why the economy flourishes as a direct result of this event. As this event isso widespread, it can be observed having a positive impact on the transportation, hotel, food, and countless other businesses.

With the religious tourism festival, local authorities also mention that there is a significant added expectation of three billion dollars with other governmental revenues like taxes and fees. Last month an article in Economic Times highlighted how Gods control the consumer economy in India.

Summary: Kumbh festival starting off as a dramatically religious affair has been the single most contributor into the Indian economy.

Here, devotees are seen taking a dip at Sangam on the occasion of Maghi Purnima during Maha Kumbh Mela, February 12, 2025, in Prayagraj. (PTI)

Putting it simply, Major household brands consider the Kumbh as a golden marketing opportunity for the festival cycle and thus, advertisements and shops are built recently. And it is this advertising that puts the greatest value on economics.

Next to the rivers’ edges, where devotees come to participate in sacred baths, there lies an overcrowded tent city which is surrounded by vegans offering food, clothing, flowers, and numerous other religious offerings and souvenirs. 

'Unparalleled' 

Sanjeev Singh from Adityanath’s office argues Kumbh Mela dwarfs international gatherings referring to the Rio Carnival that has an impressive global attendance of around seven million, as well as the Muslim hajj in Saudi Arabia which is attended by almost two million people. Singh went on to say, “the sheer scale is mind boggling,” Singh remarked, “This is phenomenal.” 

The Devotees Partake in the Holy Dip at the Sangam during ‘Maghi Purnima’ of the Continual Maha Kumbh Mela Taking Place in Prayagraj on the 20th Day of February in the Year of 2025. (PTI) 

Deepak Kumar Mehrotra, 67, and the owner of a marquee hotel, revealed his properties are fully booked all year round. “Demand has really shot up, said Mehrotra. “People all around are profiting.” 

If by some chance there are free rooms, these are being advertised for 10 times more than the standard price, with the most expensive hotels requesting $1200, and even $1400 of over $2000 a night. Achieving the required level of servitude has proven easy and difficult. There is a high demand for cooks, drivers, and electricians.

Maha Kumbh Impact: The Effects of the Kumbh Mela on the Indian Economy

Pilgrims take a dip at Sangam for Maghi Purnima on ‘Maha Kumbha Mela’ in Prayagraj on 12th February, 2025. (PTI)

Prayagraj, as Romi says, has never heard of people “adapting to this sudden increase in business activity,” because that's exactly what they are adapting to. Romi added, "People are staying and commuting to the Kumbh from there” referring to small areas still over 50 miles away from the Kumbh. Many other Hindu sites within the state such as Ayodhya and Varanasi are benefiting from this as well with pilgrims traveling there to pray too. “These types of large scale events do tend to foster growth and job creation,” he explained.