Latest news with #MahaKumbh
Economic Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Varanasi witnesses 10 million pilgrims and no major incidents during Sravan
Synopsis During the holy month of Sravan, Varanasi welcomed approximately 10 million pilgrims, managed effectively by local authorities. Enhanced drone surveillance, crowd management systems, and increased medical assistance were implemented. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple area became a no-vehicle zone, and special arrangements were made due to rising Ganga water levels, ensuring a smooth experience for devotees. PTI Varanasi: Police personnel manages the crowd as people take a dip on the last 'somwar' of the holy month of 'Shravan', at Dashashwamedh Ghat, in Varanasi. (PTI Photo)(PTI08_04_2025_000088B) Varanasi: The holy month of Sravan that ended in parts of the country on Saturday witnessed around 10 million pilgrims visiting Varanasi, where the local administration and the police had made elaborate arrangements that helped them manage the crowds without any major incidents.'Around 150,000-200,000 pilgrims visited Varanasi every day (six days a week). On four Sravan Mondays, 600,000-700,000 devotees visited, and taking together Nag Panchami, the total number was almost a crore (10 million) in the last one month,' Varanasi police commissioner Mohit Agarwal told police and the local administration had enhanced the city's drone surveillance and CCTV monitoring, implemented special crowd management systems, and set up more medical assistance and police booths during the period to manage the influx of pilgrims to the holy city, which is also the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The number of pilgrims who visited Varanasi during the Sravan month last year was marginally lower compared with this year. However, during the Maha Kumbh, around 100 million people a month visited in January and February this year, which was a big challenge to handle, Agarwal said. The learnings from the time helped make arrangements during the Sravan month this time, he said. Police personnel were given special behavioural training to handle pilgrims with empathy, care and respect, Agarwal said. The entire area near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple was turned to a no-vehicle zone for the first time and parking facilities have been earmarked outside the city periphery for big buses and vehicles, he added.'A control room was set up which was monitored by the commissioner of police, district magistrate divisional commissioner from the night ahead of Sravan Mondays, as the devotees started to assemble in large numbers and crowd flow was monitored,' Agarwal lanes of the four-lane highway from Prayagraj to Varanasi were dedicated for 'kanwaris' as they travelled to Varanasi. Kanwar Yatra, undertaken by devotees of Lord Shiva, or 'kanwaris', is one of the most prominent religious activities during the Sravan the last Monday of the month of Sravan, devotees gathered in large numbers in Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath Temple. With water levels of the Ganga increasing above the danger level and most of the ghats getting submerged in the past few days, authorities had to make special arrangements this year, including to barricade the ghat, the police commissioner said.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Varanasi witnesses 10 million pilgrims and no major incidents during Sravan
Varanasi: The holy month of Sravan that ended in parts of the country on Saturday witnessed around 10 million pilgrims visiting Varanasi, where the local administration and the police had made elaborate arrangements that helped them manage the crowds without any major incidents. 'Around 150,000-200,000 pilgrims visited Varanasi every day (six days a week). On four Sravan Mondays, 600,000-700,000 devotees visited, and taking together Nag Panchami, the total number was almost a crore (10 million) in the last one month,' Varanasi police commissioner Mohit Agarwal told ET. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program The police and the local administration had enhanced the city's drone surveillance and CCTV monitoring, implemented special crowd management systems, and set up more medical assistance and police booths during the period to manage the influx of pilgrims to the holy city, which is also the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Undo The number of pilgrims who visited Varanasi during the Sravan month last year was marginally lower compared with this year. However, during the Maha Kumbh, around 100 million people a month visited in January and February this year, which was a big challenge to handle, Agarwal said. The learnings from the time helped make arrangements during the Sravan month this time, he said. Police personnel were given special behavioural training to handle pilgrims with empathy, care and respect, Agarwal said. Live Events The entire area near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple was turned to a no-vehicle zone for the first time and parking facilities have been earmarked outside the city periphery for big buses and vehicles, he added. 'A control room was set up which was monitored by the commissioner of police, district magistrate divisional commissioner from the night ahead of Sravan Mondays, as the devotees started to assemble in large numbers and crowd flow was monitored,' Agarwal said. Two lanes of the four-lane highway from Prayagraj to Varanasi were dedicated for 'kanwaris' as they travelled to Varanasi. Kanwar Yatra , undertaken by devotees of Lord Shiva, or 'kanwaris', is one of the most prominent religious activities during the Sravan month. On the last Monday of the month of Sravan, devotees gathered in large numbers in Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath Temple. With water levels of the Ganga increasing above the danger level and most of the ghats getting submerged in the past few days, authorities had to make special arrangements this year, including to barricade the ghat, the police commissioner said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Marketing Matters: Amazon India found purpose in 'out-of-the-box' marketing
The Maha Kumbh Mela, the world's largest religious gathering, has long been a playground for brands to connect with consumers on a deeper level. Many activations from the event have become classic marketing case studies. One recent example is the Amazon 'Box to Beds' initiative, conceptualised by Ogilvy India . The e-commerce giant's iconic boxes were upcycled into free, portable beds for attendees. Amazon and Ogilvy collaborated with festival authorities to strategically place the beds in key areas, including the lost and found center, a police station, and a hospital. Following the event, Amazon India donated the usable beds to local NGOs and responsibly disposed of the rest. According to Hirol Gandhi, President and Head of Office, Mumbai and Kolkata at Ogilvy India, this initiative shows how Amazon India found purpose in "out-of-the-box" marketing. Gandhi states, "True brand equity is built not just through visibility but through tangible, purpose-driven action.' He believes the core takeaway from this case study is that 'authentic engagement arises when a brand's initiative is driven by empathy and a sincere desire to address a real problem.' What was the brief given to you? The opportunity was immense, and the brief equally ambitious: to design an impact campaign for Amazon that would resonate at the Kumbh Mela. This was a truly singular moment – the world's largest human gathering, drawing 660 million devotees, and an event that unfolds only once every 144 years. Our primary directive was to go beyond mere visibility and instead, craft an initiative that allowed Amazon to participate in a genuinely meaningful way What is the origin of the idea? What was the inspiration? The Maha Kumbh — a once-in-144-years spectacle and the world's largest human gathering brought 660 million devotees together in an extraordinary act of faith. But as the holy city swelled into a temporary metropolis, a biting cold wave swept through. With shelter scarce, countless pilgrims, many elderly — were left sleeping on the bare, freezing problem inspired us to think of a solution that could truly make a difference. Staying true to its mission of delivering convenience to every pincode in India, Amazon responded with 'Box to Beds' — an initiative that transformed its familiar delivery boxes into comfortable, weather-resistant beds. Deployed free-of-cost across the Kumbh, these makeshift beds brought warmth, comfort, and dignity to thousands in need. Could you share the key strategies and insights that went behind the making of the campaign? The strategic imperative was clear: to provide scalable relief to the vulnerable population at the Kumbh Mela. Our approach involved a critical partnership with the state government to facilitate widespread deployment. At the heart of the strategy was the ingenious repurposing of Amazon's own delivery boxes. We meticulously re-engineered 76,000 sq.m. of these boxes, sanitizing them and designing an interlocking, multi-layered structure to create ergonomic and durable beds. The natural insulating properties of cardboard were a deliberate choice, providing essential warmth and comfort, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable pilgrims. To maximize our reach and ensure maximum impact, these beds were deployed free-of-cost across key zones of the Kumbh. Smart media placements using on-ground inventory like bus backs, auto rickshaw backs, hoardings near railway stations close to the festival grounds, informed the huge influx of pilgrims about these free-to-use beds. A full page newspaper front jacket innovation in the state of UP - the host city, informed the entire state about the initiative What were the KPIs you were tracking to measure the success of this campaign? Could you share some key highlights in terms of results? Our primary KPI for the campaign was to provide tangible rest, relief, and convenience to the devotees of the Maha Kumbh Mela. The most significant measure of our success was the widespread adoption and utilization of the beds by pilgrims seeking respite. The campaign successfully delivered over 864,000 hours of restful sleep to devotees amidst the challenging conditions and immense scale of the Maha Kumbh. This metric directly reflects our objective of offering a crucial haven of comfort and dignity in the midst of the festival's chaos. What can other brands pick up from this piece of work? True brand equity is built not just through visibility but through tangible, purpose-driven action. In today's landscape, consumers increasingly expect brands to demonstrate authentic purpose and contribute meaningfully to society. The core takeaway is that authentic engagement arises when a brand's initiative is driven by empathy and a sincere desire to address a real problem. This approach moves beyond transactional marketing to create a deeper, more meaningful relationship with communities. How did you ensure that the brand's purpose-led messaging didn't just become a box-ticking exercise at Maha Kumbh? We ensured our purpose-led messaging didn't become a box-ticking exercise by rooting the entire initiative in an undeniable human need and delivering tangible, measurable impact. The campaign was an empathetic response to a severe, observed problem at the Maha Kumbh Mela – the critical lack of shelter and warmth during a biting cold wave. The solution itself was deeply integrated with Amazon's core capabilities. We leveraged our ubiquitous delivery boxes and logistical expertise to create a practical, innovative solution. Finally, the impact was undeniable and quantifiable. By providing over 864,000 hours of restful sleep, we delivered real, physical comfort to thousands. In a time when everyone's purpose-driven, how did you make sure yours translated into real impact, not just optics? We ensured our campaign delivered real results and transcended mere optics by making a deliberate strategic choice: to solve a tangible problem with a truly valuable offering, rather than simply seeking visibility. While traditional marketing approaches like setting up stalls or hoardings might have provided brand presence, we recognized the unique opportunity at the Maha Kumbh to deliver something far more impactful and priceless: restful sleep in challenging conditions. Our solution was far from an afterthought. It was a meticulously designed initiative, deeply aligned with our core objective of providing genuine relief. This strategic focus on delivering a concrete, human-centric solution is precisely how we achieved over 864,000 hours of restful sleep for the devotees, proving that our purpose translated directly into measurable impact. Amazon India & Ogilvy Group India won two Golds for the 'Box to Beds' campaign at ET Shark Awards 2025.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Maha Kumbh showed state's capacity to manage mega events'
Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh director general of police Prashant Kumar said that the successful conduct of Maha Kumbh-2025 was "a testament to faith, force, and foresight" — proving that the state can manage events of "civilizational proportions" through strong leadership, meticulous planning, and advanced technology. Speaking at TOI Dialogues, Kumar said: "At Maha Kumbh, infrastructure met intent, technology met tradition, and governance met faith. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath 's personal oversight, resource support, and emphasis on law and order helped in the smooth execution of the 55-day congregation." Over 25,000 police personnel were deployed under a unified command system. "Every ghat was risk-assessed, every route studied, and every possible scenario — from stampedes to cyber threats — simulated and planned for," he said. Technology formed the "new trishul" of policing, with the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) deploying AI-based facial recognition, drone surveillance, heat maps, real-time dashboards, GPS-enabled patrols, and body-worn cameras. Social media served as a real-time communication and grievance redressal platform, while cyber teams countered disinformation and digital fraud. Kumar highlighted the role of women police, anti-Romeo squads, traffic units, and intelligence officers, alongside humanitarian measures like 'Khoya-Paya' booths for lost children, medical aid stations, and disaster preparedness drills. Calling the event a "civilizational achievement," Kumar said it showcased New Uttar Pradesh's ability to merge security with compassion. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
UP Board students likely to get breathers between exams in 2026 session
Prayagraj: Students appearing for the 2026 UP Board High School and Intermediate examinations are expected to get more breathers between their papers as the board was mulling extending the exam duration beyond the usual 12 working days. Unlike recent years when exams were conducted within a span of 12 days, the 2026 exams may be scheduled over 14 or more working days. In 2025, the exams were initially planned over 12 days but were extended to 13 days due to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. The rush to complete the exams quickly led to thousands of students having to appear for two shifts in a single day. This overcrowding and pressure on students have prompted the board to reconsider the exam schedule for 2026. A proposed timetable for the 2026 exams has already been prepared and will soon be sent to the govt for approval. If all goes as planned, the timetable will be released at least four months before the exams. "An early release of the timetable will help students adopt better preparation strategies and reduce last-minute stress," said board secretary Bhagwati Singh. In another development, the board has sent a proposal to the govt to extend the last date for admission to classes 9 to 12. According to the earlier released timetable, the last date was Aug 5, which has passed. The move was prompted by the flood situation in many districts of the state. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
