Prayagraj: The Magh Mela’s massive crowd is a goldmine for businesses big and small, with everyone cashing in on the pilgrim rush.Mahendra Goyal, the state president of the Confederation of All India Traders Union, said: “In just 16 days, the footfall of devotees and tourists brought immense prosperity to both registered and unregistered shopkeepers in the mela area. The mela administration estimates over 10 crore people visited the mela area in 16 days. With each person spending Rs 40-50, that’s roughly Rs 450 crore in sales,” Goyal said.He said that this figure could exceed Rs 1100 crore by the end of the mela.Goyal said the 2026 Magh Mela is setting new standards in scale and budget, giving a major boost to local businesses in the area.Estimates from trade and commerce agencies placed the current Magh Mela among the most successful in terms of employment and business generated.The Magh Mela administration also allocates shops in the area to facilitate the smooth movement of devotees and meet their basic needs.Mela Akhikari Rishiraj said a Triveni Bazaar Food Court and Entertainment Zone have been set up in the Parade Ground. There are more than 2500 shops in the mela area. They have been allocated to both small and large shopkeepers. It’s a win-win: 30,000-35,000 people got jobs, and the mela administration raked in revenue.Goyal said that this year’s Magh Mela has seen higher earnings from the food and hospitality sectors because these are essential services that devotees find convenient to access within the mela grounds. Additionally, the travel sector has also experienced significant growth due to the large number of devotees.Subhash Kesarwani, who owns a breakfast and fast food corner in Triveni Bazaar at Parade, said that during the bathing days, he had so many customers that it was difficult to serve everyone. After bathing, most people came to his shop for breakfast and fast food. Mela authorities estimate that there will be a 30-35% increase in the number of local tourists compared to the 2024 Magh Mela. The branding of Magh Mela, after the 2025 Maha Kumbh, has yielded positive results in the increase of the footfall of devotees and tourists.
