GANGTOK: Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Tuesday said he would attend Mahakumbh at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh next week. Uttar Pradesh ministers JPS Rathore, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Cooperative Department of Uttar Pradesh, and Om Prakash Rajbhar, Minister of Panchayati Raj, Uttar Pradesh, met Tamang at the official residence of the chief minister on Tuesday morning in a gesture of courtesy and goodwill.
During the meeting, the Uttar Pradesh ministers formally extended an invitation to the Maha Kumbh Mela, a revered spiritual event held once every 12 years, set to take place in 2025 in Prayagraj. The event is expected to draw millions of devotees from across the globe.
"Around 45 crore devotees are expected to attend the Maha Kumbh, which will be held from Jan 13 to Feb 26. For the health facilities of the devotees, a 100 bed hospital along with small ICUs has been set up," they told in a gathering at Gangtok.
Expressing gratitude for the invitation, Tamang confirmed his participation with a delegation from Sikkim, including a cultural team and spiritual leaders. “I am deeply honored to be part of such a significant spiritual gathering,” he said, thanking the ministers for their gesture. Additionally, the two UP ministers had extended the invitation to the governor, Om Prakash Mathur.