32 Days to go for Prayagraj Mahakumbh 2025 – 4 Benefits of MEMU Trains

  Another 32 Days to go for Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 at Prayagraj

 The Kumbh Mela is a celebration of unity, faith, and renewal.

There are 32 days to go, before the inauguration of Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj.

Preparations are in full swing

Any plans to visit?

The Prayagraj Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 is scheduled to begin on January 13, 2025, and conclude on February 26, 2025.

 

The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 will begin on January 13, 2025, with the Paush Purnima Snan, and will conclude on February 26, 2025, coinciding with Maha Shivratri.

 

Several other festivals will also fall in between as Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 29, and Basant Panchami on February 3, and all are set to take place at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India.

 

          MEMU trains will play a key role in the journeys of Visitors / Devotees to Prayagraj Maha Kumbh 2025.

          Railways are focussing on MEMU Trains to enhance the travel experience

          There are 4 major benefits of MEMU Trains

          Benefit 01) Platform Level Door exit. Travellers need not encounter any steps between the platform and train coach. They can seamlessly enter the coach directly from the platform. This ensures maximum comfort while embarking / disembarking between the platform and coach.

          Benefit 02) The doors are spacious for easy movement of travellers.  Travellers can easily board the train coach even with few luggage pieces.

Benefit 03) Apart from the comfortable seating arrangements, there is enough space for few passengers to stand in the aisles. Overcrowding can be minimised.

Benefit 04) Multiple stops between the first and last station, this will enable more travellers to board the MEMU trains.

 

Passenger capacity - A MEMU coach can carry 230 passengers, which is more than the 185 passengers that a normal passenger train coach can carry.

Train capacity - The Railway Board recently increased the capacity of MEMU Express trains by adding more coaches, which allows each train to carry up to 3,600 passengers.

### **Journey Highlights**

 

- **Prayagraj to Varanasi**: A scenic 122 km journey in 3 hours and 20 minutes with 21 stops. Average speed: 36 km/hr in the present most popular MEMU Train.

- **Prayagraj to Ayodhya**: A serene 155 km trip in 4 hours and 45 minutes with 21 halts. Average speed: 33 km/hr in the present most popular MEMU Train.

 

The Prayagraj Division of North Central Railway has gone the extra mile to ensure your trip to the Kumbh Mela is stress-free:

 

- **Daily MEMU Services**: Two trains daily from Prayagraj—one heading to Varanasi and the other to Ayodhya (except during main bathing festivals).

 

The Prayagraj Division of North Central Railway will launch a fast-ring MEMU service for devotees attending the Kumbh Mela, providing connectivity to Ayodhya's Ram Temple and Varanasi's Baba Vishwanath Temple.

 

The service, starting from Prayagraj to Varanasi and Ayodhya, will operate daily except during the main bathing festivals, Divisional Railway Manager Himanshu Badoni said.

 

He said that two Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) services -- one towards Varanasi and the other towards Ayodhya -- will be available from Prayagraj every day.

 

Pilgrims will take part in Kumbh Mela for several religious events such as Paush Poornima, Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya, Basant Panchami, Maghi Poornima, and Mahashivaratri.

 The Indian Railways is likely to accommodate around 6 crore visitors to Prayagraj. Additionally, the festive season is expected to see about 20 to 30 crore people undertaking journeys from one part to another.

 

A Historic Gathering

The Mahakumbh, set to commence on January 13, 2025, at the Sangam (confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati), will continue until February 26.

This religious pilgrimage, held every 12 years, alternates between Haridwar, Ujjain, Nasik, and Prayagraj. This year’s edition is expected to attract millions of visitors from across the globe.

 

The state’s comprehensive efforts reflect its commitment to making the Mahakumbh 2025 a memorable and inclusive celebration.

 

The Kumbh Mela is a Hindu religious pilgrimage and one of the world's largest religious fairs.

 

It's a time for devotees to bathe in the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers to cleanse themselves of sins and gain spiritual merit.

 

Some key dates for the 2025 Kumbh Mela include:

January 13, 2025: Paush Purnima - Monday

January 14, 2025: Makar Sankranti (First Shahi Snan) - Tuesday

January 29, 2025: Mauni Amavasya (Second Shahi Snan) - Wednesday

February 3, 2025: Basant Panchami (Third Shahi Snan) - Wednesday

February 4, 2025: Achla Saptami - Thursday

February 12, 2025: Maghi Purnima -  Wednesday

February 26, 2025: Maha Shivratri (Final Snan) - Wednesday

 

The Kumbh Mela is celebrated four times every 12 years in four different locations in India.

The location of the Kumbh Mela rotates between the four pilgrimages on sacred rivers.

Disclaimer: These are my personal thoughts only.

The only Joy is ‘World Safe ePay Day’,  and

 ‘World Blouse Day’.

 

Safe and Stylish: Unveiling World SafeePay and Blouse Day Delights

 

The need for observing World SafeePay Day and World Blouse Day arises from the absence of dedicated global celebrations for these concepts.

 

World SafeePay Day aims to celebrate the joy of safe electronic payments in all financial transactions, representing an abstract celebration that highlights the significance of secure and efficient digital financial interactions. As the world increasingly relies on electronic payment systems, having a designated day for SafeePay emphasizes the importance of secure and reliable digital financial transactions.

 

On the other hand, World Blouse Day seeks to celebrate the joys of wearing blouses in a more lively and visually impactful manner. The concept involves a powerful display of togetherness, with millions of people stepping out wearing blouses based on a chosen theme. This display celebration not only promotes a sense of unity but also serves as a unique and creative expression of shared identity through clothing.

 

 

 

Applied for: Kumbhathon Startup Festival Jan'25 at Nashik

Applied for: Kumbhathon Startup Festival Jan'25
Pitch 1: Kumbh PrePaid Wallet (People Tech)
Pitch 2: Blouse Design (Culture Tech)

Having contributed to Kumbhathon 2015, I bring both enthusiasm and insight to the 2025 festival, recognizing the significance of contributing now as I may not be actively involved in the 2039 Nashik Kumbh due to health considerations.

 

Kumbhathon Startup Festival Jan'25: Introduction

The Kumbhathon Startup Festival, hosted by Kumbhathon Innovation Foundation from January 4-6, 2025, will transform Nashik into a hub of technological and cultural innovation. This event reimagines the Kumbh Mela as a living lab to prototype and scale solutions addressing the challenges of urbanization and sustainability.

With a focus on AI-powered innovations, the festival fosters collaboration among startups, innovators, and cultural leaders, offering a platform to design sustainable, scalable solutions for the world’s largest human gathering.

 

Few Lines About the Significance of Kumbh

The Kumbh Mela, known as the festival of the sacred Pitcher, is a spiritual and cultural phenomenon attracting millions of pilgrims. The ritual of bathing in sacred rivers is believed to cleanse sins and liberate the soul from the cycle of rebirth.

Held in rotation every four years across Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik, the Kumbh Mela celebrates diversity, spirituality, and tradition.

Its significance spans astronomy, cultural practices, and oral traditions, safeguarded through mentorship within ashrams and akhadas. This convergence of science and spirituality unites millions, transcending barriers of caste, creed, and gender, while preserving the rich heritage of India.

Here are my pitches for the Application:

Published  - Word Limit – 500 characters

Q: Mention the kind of expectations/support required by you from Kumbhathon

Ans: I am pitching for two tracks:

1. Kumbh PrePaid Wallet (People Tech): A semi-closed wallet, valid only at Kumbh Mela merchant outlets, leveraging existing UPI familiarity. Support needed: Facilitate dialogue with NPCI.

2. Blouse Design (Culture Tech): Coordinated blouse patterns for lakhs of visitors, a visible cultural symbol with minimal government investment.

The wallet is abstract; the blouse is visible—a blend of innovation and tradition.

 

Published – Word Limit – 1000 words

Q: What motivates you to apply to Kumbhathon?

Ans: I am pitching for two tracks:

1. Kumbh PrePaid Wallet (People Tech): A semi-closed prepaid wallet system designed for exclusive use within the Kumbh Mela area at merchant outlets. It utilizes India's widespread familiarity with UPI and digital payments, making it easy to implement with existing technology. Support required: Facilitate a dialogue with NPCI, the Section 25 company managing UPI, to collaborate on this solution's development and execution.

2. Blouse Design (Culture Tech): A cultural initiative to introduce coordinated blouse patterns for millions of Kumbh Mela visitors. These designs symbolize unity and tradition, creating a striking visual identity for the event. This initiative is a public good that requires minimal government investment but delivers a significant cultural impact.

The wallet offers an abstract, practical solution, while the blouse provides a visible, symbolic connection—blending technology and culture for a holistic, enriching Kumbh Mela experience.

 

My definition of Blouse - A blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that may be worn by workmen, artists, women, and children i.e neutral gender.

 

LessCash techniques at India’s Kumbh Melas

          In the next one year, India will be hosting two mega gatherings of mankind. In a span of 45-60 days, a couple of crores will descend on Nashik  for Nashik Kumbh Mela  and Ujjain for Ujjain Kumbh Mela 

          These are gatherings which take place every 12 years depending on astrological readings.     The preparations for these gatherings commence 5-6 years prior to the main event.

          The main driver’s are the respective coordination committees appointed by State Government’s.

          The online marketing for these mega events has kicked off.  Overall, though the online marketing programs, an incremental 10% of the devotees’ numbers is expected.

Q: What is Kumbh Mela?

Ans:    Kumbh Mela is the largest spiritual gathering in the world where millions of devotees takes a holy dip in the sacred water.

It is believed that the river water during the Mela period transform into sanctity spots filled with primordial amrita at the historic moment of the Maha Kumbh Mela.

The pilgrims flocking the Mela area revel in the once in a lifetime chance to bathe in the spirit of holiness, auspiciousness and salvation.

Q: Where is Kumbh Mela celebrated in India?

Ans: Kumbh Mela is celebrated in 4 religious towns on the banks of holy rivers:-

1. Haridwar in Uttarakhand where the holy Ganga River enters the plains from the mighty Himalayas.
2. The sacred Prayag (confluence) in Allahabad of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati
3. On the banks of Ksipra River at Ujjain Kumbh Mela in Madhya Pradesh.
4. On the banks of Godavari River at Nashik Kumbh Mela in Madhya Pradesh

In each town, the  Kumbh Mela comes in every 12 years. Each town’s celebration is based on particular zodiacal positions of the Sun, the Moon, and Jupiter, the holiest time occurring at the exact moment these zodiacal conditions are fulfilled.

Q: Significance of Nashik Kumbh Mela

Ans: Both Shaiva and Vaishnava Sadhus used to take the holy dip in Trimbakeshwar, until 1838, when a clash between them led to bloodshed. Subsequently, the Peshwa ruler requested Shaiva sadhus to perform rituals at Trimbakeshwar and Vaishnavs to move downstream to Ramakunda in Nashik Kumbh Mela.

Q: Catchment of Nashik Kumbh Mela

Ans: The whole of West India and visitors from abroad

Q: Significance of Ujjain Kumbh Mela

Ans:    The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga situated here is the only Jyotirlinga which is facing towards South. One of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, the lingam at the Mahakala is believed to be swayambhu (born of itself) deriving currents of power shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams which are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti.

Q: Catchment of Ujjain Kumbh Mela

Ans: The whole of North India and visitors from India

Q: Primary NGO @ Nashik Kumbh Mela

Ans: Nashik Kumbh Mela Innovation Center

Q: Primary NGO @ Ujjain Kumbh Mela

Ans: No major visible NGO however Nashik Kumbh Mela Innovation Center and Infosys are expected to lead from the front

Opportunities for LessCash tools at these Kumbh Melas’

This is in continuation of my earlier posts

Post 1 - TRIMBAKESHWAR, NASHIK KUMBH MELA 2015 – WILL THIS BE THE GAME CHANGER FOR EPAYMENTS?

Post 2 - Ideas to transform Nashik Kumbh Mela Kumbh Mela into LessCash Mela

Post 3 - Kumbh Mela 2015 @ Nashik-Why there should be no ATMs in the Mela Area

Post 4 - Cashless Payments for Simhastha Kumbh Mela - Nashik-Trimbakeshwar 2015. Who will bell the cat?

Q: Who can spearhead LessCash techniques in the upcoming Kumbh Mela’s?

Ans: Banks Vs PPI (Pre-paid Instruemnt) companies

PPIs companies are better placed to spearhead the LessCash techniques in the upcoming Kumbh Mela’s

4  reasons:-

01)  PPI companies can focus on their specialisation.

02) PPI companies can scale up the technology quickly.

03) PPI companies can rapidly penetrate the sellers club.

04) PPI companies can roll out new products quickly.

:

Brief definition of Pre-paid Payment Instruments:

 Pre-paid payment instruments are payment instruments that facilitate purchase of goods and services, including funds transfer, against the value stored on such instruments. The value stored on such instruments represents the value paid for by the holders by cash, by debit to a bank account, or by credit card.

The pre-paid instruments can be issued as smart cards, magnetic stripe cards, internet accounts, internet wallets, mobile accounts, mobile wallets, paper vouchers and any such instrument which can be used to access the pre-paid amount (collectively called Prepaid Payment Instruments hereafter).

The pre-paid payment instruments that can be issued in India are classified under three categories viz. (i) Closed system payment instruments (ii) Semi-closed system payment instruments and (iii) Open system payment instruments.

  List of Authorised eWallet Companies in India

Airtel M Commerce Services Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as Stored Value Card Wallet (SCW) ‘Airtel Money’
Atom Technologies Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Atom Wallet’ and ‘Aquapay’
Citrus Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Citrus Cash’
DigitSecure India Private Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments e-wallet known as ‘HotRemit'
Edenred (India) Private Limited – nee Accor Services Pvt. Ltd.	Meal and gift paper vouchers, meal and cafeteria cards, gift cards. The products are mainly under the brand name ‘Ticket/Ticket Restaurant/Ticket Compliments’
Eko India Financial Services Private Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments
FX Mart Pvt. Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘FX Money’
GI Technology Private Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments Card known as 'I Cash'
Idea Mobile Commerce Services Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Idea Money’
India Transact Services Limited,	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Ongo’
Itz Cash Card Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Pay on web’, ‘Mobile Wallet’ and ‘Itz Cash BSNL trust Card’
MMP Mobi Wallet Payment Systems Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘mRupee’
Mpurse Services Pvt. Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘mpurse wallet’
Muthoot Vehicle & Asset Finance Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments e-wallet known as ‘Muthoot Money’ and m-wallet known as ‘Muthoot wallet’
My Mobile Payments Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Money-on-Mobile'
One97 Communications Ltd.	Mobile based Pre-paid payment instruments m- Wallet known as ‘Paytm wallet’
One Mobikwik Systems Private Limited	Prepaid Payment Instruments known as ‘Mobikwik Wallet’
Oxigen Services (India) Pvt. Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Oxigen Wallets’
PayMate India Pvt. Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Paymate Wallet’
Pay Point India Network Private Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments known as 'Pay Pointz'
Premium eBusiness Ventures Private Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments
Pyro Telecommunications Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments m-wallet known as ‘SpeedPay’
QwikCilver Solutions Pvt. Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments co-branded gift card known as ‘Issued by QwikCilver’
Reliance Payment Solution Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Jio Money’
Smart Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘PayCash’
Sodexo SVC India Pvt. Ltd	Paper based vouches known as Meal, Catering, Gift Gold, Gift Exclusive and Gift Advantage. Electronic based vouchers, gift passes known as Meal Card, Premium E Gift Exclusive E gift and Say Rewards
Spice Digital Ltd	Pre-paid payment instruments
Tech Mahindra Limited (Transfer of authorisation from erstwhile CanvasM Technologies Ltd.)	Pre-paid payment instruments (m-wallet) known as ‘MoboMoney’
Transaction Analysts (India) Private Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Transaction Assured’
UAE Exchange & Financial Services Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments m-wallet known as ‘X-Pay
UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)
Vodafone m-pesa Limited (Transfer of authorisation of erstwhile Mobile Commerce Solutions Ltd.)	Pre-paid payment instruments known as ‘Vodafone M-pesa’
Y-Cash Software Solutions Private Limited	Pre-paid payment instruments m-wallet known as ‘Y-Pay Cash’
ZipCash Card Services Pvt. Ltd.	Pre-paid payment instruments known as 'ZipCash Coupons'

Q: Usage mode’s of eWallets’

Ans:  Offline i.e physical card mode. Online i.e Mobile APPS, Internet

 Q: Milestones for eWallets companies

Ans: a) Establish Sellers Base

b) Address connectivity issues

c) Auto switch from offline mode to online mode as and when the network is available

d) Robust grievance handling mechanism

e) Quick Process to transfer from Sellers eWallet account to bank account or cash payout

HDFC Bank offers Chillr – The new APP for Instant LessCash Transactions

IMPS ecosystem enables HDFC Bank to offer “Chillr APP” for Instant LessCash Transfers.

            NPCIs IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) has spawned a new breed of entrepreneurs. These new breeds of entrepreneurs are focusing on the USP of IMPS to promote Safe CashLess transactions.

            The latest launch is the “Chillr” Mobile App by HDFC Bank.

            “Chillr”, has been developed by a Kerala startup company with the same name i.e “Chillr”. This startup company is a subsidiary of MobWE Wirless.  

            The ‘Chillr” is currently available for HDFC Bank customers only.  It is being promoted as a LessCash transaction tool amongst friends. In the coming months, merchants too will be onboarded on the “Chillr” platform.

            As it is merchants holding accounts in HDFC Bank can straight away receive funds through the “Chillr” APP. Just the sender has to add the merchants’ phone number in his/her smart phone. The funds transfer can commence straight away. However such a mode is not viable for a large number of transactions in the merchants’ bank accounts due to accounting norms. Merchants require each credit entry to be tagged to a receipt, which enable easy reconciliation.

            The channel for the funds transfer is NPCIs IMPS channel. This carrier agnostic funds transfer channel eliminates the need for expensive charges too. As IMPS works 24*7, 365 days a year, there is no fear of delayed settlement. A dispute resolution mechanism too is in place.

            Read the complete FAQs here

            The only prerequisite is that the receiver too should have a bank account. The bank account need not be in HDFC Bank but in any Bank which is on IMPS network.

              "Chillr", can be a great tool in Nashik Kumbh Mela 2015 to promote LessCash transactions. The only obstacle could be issues with network connectivity.