Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, visited the Neel Ganga Ashram in Ujjain to perform prayers before an idol of Maa Ganga, seeking the welfare of all, and announced that Simhastha-2028 will be organised with grandeur in keeping with the sentiments of revered saints, the dignity of Sanatan culture, and time-honoured traditions.

Context

Posting on X, Chief Minister Yadav wrote: 'पूज्य संतजनों की भावना, सनातन संस्कृति की गरिमा और परंपराओं के अनुसार भव्यता के साथ सिंहस्थ-2028 का आयोजन होगा' ('Simhastha-2028 will be organised with grandeur in accordance with the sentiments of revered saints, the dignity of Sanatan culture, and its traditions'). He added that he offered prayers for universal welfare at the ashram and received blessings from the saints present.

The gathering at Neel Ganga Ashram brought together senior religious figures, signalling early-stage coordination between the Madhya Pradesh government and the broader Hindu monastic establishment ahead of the 2028 event.

Policy Backdrop

Simhastha, also known as the Kumbh Mela of Ujjain, is held every 12 years when Jupiter enters the zodiac sign of Leo. The last edition was held in Ujjain in 2016 under the Madhya Pradesh government's oversight, drawing tens of millions of pilgrims to the banks of the Shipra river.

The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad is the apex body of Hindu akharas that coordinates the participation and ritual traditions of monastic orders at every Kumbh. Its involvement at this early stage indicates formal consultations between the state and religious institutions are already under way.

BJP-governed states have consistently emphasised the preservation of Sanatan practices alongside large-scale infrastructure upgrades for Kumbh events, a pattern visible in preparations for the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh as well. Madhya Pradesh's early outreach to saints and akharas follows this established template.

Stakeholders and Impact

Present at the Neel Ganga Ashram were Shankaracharya Swami Narendranand Saraswati Ji Maharaj; Mahant Ravindra Puri Ji Maharaj, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad; General Secretary Mahant Hari Giri Ji Maharaj; and Mahant Narayan Giri Ji Maharaj. Their participation lends institutional weight to the state's preparatory consultations.

The event directly concerns Hindu akharas, religious pilgrims, Ujjain civic bodies, and the wider hospitality and infrastructure ecosystem of the city. Simhastha typically draws crores of devotees, making it one of the largest peacetime human gatherings in the world.

What's Next

With Simhastha-2028 roughly two years away, the focus will now shift to infrastructure planning along the Ujjain riverfronts, land acquisition, crowd-management systems, and further coordination meetings between the state government and the Akhara Parishad. The state is expected to constitute formal committees and announce budgetary allocations in the coming months.

The Chief Minister's personal engagement with senior Shankaracharyas and akhara leaders this early in the cycle suggests the Madhya Pradesh government intends to position Simhastha-2028 as a landmark cultural and religious event, with preparations beginning well ahead of the 2016 precedent.