Women craft puja mats from banana stems for Mahakumbh Mela 2025

Over 90 women are involved in the making of these handmade products, which include puja aasanas, purses, yoga mats, wooden slippers (khadau), and other ritual items.

Surya Kumar, who is overseeing the entire process, told ANI that the women have been working tirelessly for the past six months to create products that will meet the needs of sadhus and sanyasis during the upcoming Kumbh Mela.

Kumar said that these products are being made without using any chemicals and are naturally coloured using flowers.

"We've been preparing for the Kumbh Mela for the past six months. We're making various products like puja asanas, purses, and other puja items, keeping in mind the needs of the sadhus and sanyasis. Banana has great significance in Hinduism, as it's believed to be the abode of Lord Vishnu. We extract fibres from the banana tree stem to create these products. We've made 5-6 types of puja asanas, yoga mats, and khadau (wooden sandals) for the saints. We don't use any chemicals in our products and instead use natural flower dyes for colouring," Surya Kumar said.

Kumar said that the demand for these products is so high that they are currently unable to cater to all the demands. requests.

"The demand for these products is so high in the market that we're unable to meet it. Around 90 women are working with us, and more are joining," Surya Kumar added.

Sangeeta Maurya, one of the women making the products, said that it takes around an hour to make one puja asana.

"We're making puja asanas from natural fibres. It takes around an hour to make one puja asana. These products are being made for the saints," she told ANI.

The Maha Kumbh held once every 12 years, is scheduled to begin on January 13 and conclude on February 26, 2025, in Prayagraj.

The main bathing festival, known as the "Shahi Snan" (royal baths), will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami).

As part of the preparations for Mahakumbh 2025, the Uttar Pradesh Police will integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies into their CCTV systems to enhance security for the millions of devotees expected to attend, Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said.

Furthermore, 220 expert deep-sea divers from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) will be deployed at the Sangam waters. These divers will remain on high alert round-the-clock, supported by 700 boats, to ensure the safety of pilgrims during the holy bathing rituals.

In addition, teams from the NDRF, SDRF, water police, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), and healthcare staff will coordinate efforts to provide safety and security for the devotees throughout the Kumbh Mela. (ANI)