The Madhya Pradesh government has officially announced the schedule for Simhastha 2028, one of the largest religious congregations in the world, to be held in Ujjain. The event will take place over a span of two months, from March 27 to May 27, 2028, as confirmed by Simhastha Mela Officer Ashish Singh.
This extended duration marks a significant expansion from the previous Simhastha, which lasted just one month. The 2028 edition will feature three Amrit Snan (auspicious holy baths) scheduled between April 9 and May 8, along with a total of seven major bathing festivals, drawing millions of pilgrims from across India and abroad.
Held once every 12 years, Simhastha in Ujjain is one of the four Kumbh Mela gatherings and holds immense religious and cultural significance. Devotees and saints from across the globe arrive to bathe in the sacred Shipra River, seeking spiritual merit. Authorities estimate that the 2028 event could attract over 14 crore (140 million) visitors, making it one of the largest gatherings in the event’s history. Currently, 35 months remain until the commencement of the Mahakumbh.
Given the anticipated scale of the event, the state government has proposed a massive infrastructure and development push. A total of 102 development projects worth Rs 15,751 crore have been outlined. Of these, Rs 5,133 crore has been earmarked for 75 priority projects, recommended by the divisional committee, which are expected to be executed in the current fiscal year under the Simhastha Fund.