Ardh Kumbh sees 35% jump in foreign tourist arrivals

The arrivals during Ardh Kumbh  held at Prayagraj saw some 35 per cent increase compared to the same period 2013.  The 49-day fair is also attracting travellers from unconventional countries.

More than 12 crore people are expected to take part in the events over the next 50 days. Authorities have set up temporary bridges, 600 mass kitchens and more than 100,000 portable toilets in a pop-up city at the confluence of the rivers, which is known as the sangam.

During the eight-week festival, authorities are expecting around one million foreign visitors arrive at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, to bathe at the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Saraswati. It is believed that taking a dip in the river before the mahurat helps one attain immortality.