Prayagraj:In what is a first-of-its-kind feature in a Kumbh Mela, visitors to this year’s Maha Kumbh Mela that is being held here from January 13 to November 26, will be able to see and hear the entire Maha Kumbh story in a digitally immersive manner.
At the initiative of Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a Digital Mahakumbh Experience Centre has been opened here that digitally portrays the mythological stories behind the Mahakumbh Mela using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology, LED displays and holograms. The centre spans 60,000 square feet and is divided into 12 zones. Sculptures of mythological figures dotting the centre add to the richness of the centre.
As one enters the centre, the first treat is a trailer of the Maha Kumbh Mela on a projection thread. Thereafter, one is treated to the story of the Samudra Manthan narrated through projection on a wooden wall made like a scroll.
Further ahead, one gets the experience of being near the Yamunotri glacier. One then can actually run a hand on the virtually flowing Yamuna river which will make the water ripple. Similarly, one can experience the stories of the Prayag Mahatam and Triveni Sangam.
The entire experience is digitally immersive and is designed to make the story of the Maha Kumbh attractive to new generations and foreign tourists. Inaugurating the centre on January 9, Yogi Adityanath said that it would inspire today’s youth and offer foreign tourists “an authentic feel about India’s cultural depth and historical richness”.
"It was the Chief Minister’s idea to have a show telling the whole Kumbh story,” Mohit Verma, the brain behind the centre and head of the Noida-based Pavilions and Interiors event management firm, told ETV Bharat.
“The Mela Authority then floated a tender,” Verma said. “We got the tender on December 16 last year.”
He recalled that he reached the spot in Sector 3 area of the Maha Kumbh Mela venue on December 18 where the centre was proposed to be set up and did a recce followed by land-filling.
“Simultaneously, my content team started conceptualising the content from the primary stage,” Verma said. “Everything here, whether it be the sculptures or the wall of art, has been handcrafted by our team and nothing has been outsourced or bought off the shelf.”
The centre went live on January 9 immediately after Yogi Adityanath inaugurated it. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also posted about the centre on his X handle.
Asked what was the most amazing aspect about setting up the centre, Verma replied: “Everything – from fabrication of the centre to creating the content to handcrafting the sculptures – was done within a span of 21 days. In other words, we did all this – from start to finish – within three weeks.”
On Sunday, the eve of the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, it was drizzling the whole day at the venue. However, this did not deter lakhs of visitors, whether it be tourists, pilgrims, ascetics or foreigners, from moving around soaking in the atmosphere at the venue of the once-in-144-years event.
Amidst this, groups of curious visitors were seen gathering at the entry of the Digital Maha Kumbh Experience Centre asking people at the two ticket counters set up what it is all about.
“Since the inauguration of the centre on January 9, we are getting 3,000-4,000 visitors per day even before the Mela has started,” Verma said. A ticket to the centre costs Rs 50. Shows run from 6 am to 10 pm every day except for a break of one hour from 2 pm to 3 pm. However, the centre will remain closed on January 13 and 14, the two snan (holy bath) days.
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