The Kumbh Mela is rooted in Hindu mythology, a battle between deities and demons for control of a pitcher containing the nectar of immortality.
The festival, which opened on January 13, ends Wednesday, coinciding with the Hindu festival of Maha Shivratri, in honour of the deity Shiva.
According to eyebrow-raising figures from Adityanath’s state government, more than 620 million devotees took part in the festival, a staggering statistic even for the world’s most populous nation of 1.4 billion people.
Millions more people seeking salvation are expected to shrug off stomach-churning faecal matter measurements to immerse themselves in sacred river waters on Wednesday.
Authorities say the estimates have been calculated using artificial intelligence and surveillance cameras, but the figures are impossible to independently verify.
The festival was marred by a deadly stampede on January 29 that killed at least 30 people and injured 90 others.
