Traditionally an Indian icon, the 2025 Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, has the world burning up with its scope, but what makes news this year, especially across the breadth of the social media sphere, not from its immense scale, but for its novel implementation of space technology. The Mahakumbh Mela from space provides a special view of the world’s largest religious gathering witnessed from space by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with the help of modern satellite images.
ISRO’s images, taken through sophisticated optical satellites and radar systems, unveil the massive infrastructure built for this grand event, where approximately 40 crore visitors are expected over 45 days. The time series images as a result of the works undertaken by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad, using its state-of-the-art EOS-04 (RISAT-1A) all weather-operational satellite have been able to capture the growth of tent cities, pontoon bridges and ancillary structures.
Satellite Insights into the Mahakumbh Mela
The Mahakumbh Mela from space demonstrates the power of advanced imaging technology. NRSC Director Dr. Prakash Chauhan described how radar satellites, capable of clear visibility over cloud cover, played an important role in obtaining direct visual cues of thePrayagraj event. Series of photos taken from September 2023 and January 2025 cover the changes in Parade Ground and the development of the new attractions including Shivalay Park. The latter one, as an Indian map, represents the seamless integration of tradition and technology.
These satellite images are not just for documentation, they should serve as a vital management and disaster relief measure, assuring the safety of millions of people during this religious festival. Uttar Pradesh authorities are mining knowledge to prevent stampedes and other disasters.
A High-Tech Kumbh
The 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela is unique for its size and its organization. The Mahakumbh Nagar district zone has been constituted to accommodate for pilgrims. With 1,50,000 tents, 3,000 kitchens, 1,45,000 washrooms, and 99 parking lots, the arrangement is an unprecedented logistical marvel. [M] The area of land reclaimed comes to around 26 hectares in total while 12 kilometres of new ghats has been constructed for amrit Snans by devotees.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh lauded the adoption of technology at the Mela as a “paradigm shift” in the way large religious assemblies are managed.
From space, the Mahakumbh Mela is not only a religious phenomenon, but also a demonstration of the development of India’s science building capacity for its cultural programme.