Largest Religious Gatherings by Single-Day Crowd

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Key Findings

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Maha Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj) leads in Estimated Peak Single-Day Crowd with 76,000,000 in 2026.

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2025 recorded the highest combined total across all categories.

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Gap in 2026: Maha Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj) is 24.1× larger than Hajj (Mecca).

About This Dataset

Largest Religious Gatherings by Single-Day Crowd

The Kumbh Mela dominates the top of this list because it concentrates tens of millions of pilgrims into single auspicious bathing days rather than spreading them across a season. The Arbaeen pilgrimage to Karbala draws comparable numbers every year. Crowd estimates at this scale are inherently imprecise, coming from state authorities using area-density methods rather than any form of headcount.

Analysis

The top three in Estimated Peak Single-Day Crowd in 2026 are Maha Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj) (76,000,000), Ardh Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj) (50,000,000) and Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj) (30,000,000). The 11 entries cover a range of 72,840,000, from 76,000,000 down to 3,160,000. First and second are separated by 26,000,000, so the leader sits inside the field rather than apart from it. Only 2 of the 11 reach even half the leader's figure (38,000,000 or more).

Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

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Data Points

11 categories · 10 years

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Top Value

76,000,000

Maha Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj)

Estimated Peak Single-Day Crowd · 2025

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Metrics

Estimated Peak Single-Day Crowd

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Period

1989 – 2026

10 years of data

Methodology & source

Coverage: 11 entities · 1989–2026 (10 years) · 11 observations
Measure: Estimated Peak Single-Day Crowd
Last updated: 6 September 2026
Compiled by: The ANYSTAT team

How the figures are calculated

Values use the measure and unit named on this page. Consult the dataset description and cited source for coverage, definitions and any unit conversions. Displayed values may be rounded for readability.
Missing years are left empty rather than estimated — no interpolation, no carrying a previous year forward.
Change is measured between the first and last year in which an entity actually reported a value, so a series that starts late is not penalised for the years before it existed.
The compound annual rate is (last ÷ first)^(1 ÷ years) − 1, using those same two reported years.
Entities are ranked highest-first on their value in 2026.
An entity that reported nothing in the latest year is still listed — it follows the ranked entities in the table rather than being dropped.

Rankings & Full Data

11 records · Estimated Peak Single-Day Crowd · ranked by 2026

✓ 11 sourced

#	Category	1989	2001	2010	2012	2013	2016	2019	2022	2025	2026	Change
🥇	Maha Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	76,000,000	—	—
🥈	Ardh Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj)	—	—	—	—	—	—	50,000,000	—	—	—	—
🥉	Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj)	—	—	—	—	30,000,000	—	—	—	—	—	—
4	Arbaeen Pilgrimage (Karbala)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	21,000,000	—	—	—
5	Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj 2001)	—	20,000,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6	Musa al-Kazim Procession (Baghdad)	—	—	—	—	—	12,000,000	—	—	—	—	—
7	Funeral of Ayatollah Khomeini (Tehran)	10,200,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
8	Haridwar Kumbh Mela	—	—	10,000,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
9	Mid-Shaban Pilgrimage (Karbala)	—	—	—	6,000,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
10	Santo Nino de Cebu (Philippines)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5,200,000	—
11	Hajj (Mecca)	—	—	—	3,160,000	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Data Sources & References

All external sources cited in this dataset

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_peaceful_gatherings Visit ↗

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APA

ANYSTAT. (2026). Largest Religious Gatherings by Single-Day Crowd [Data set]. https://anystat.ai/stats/1252/largest-religious-gatherings-by-single-day-crowd-1785351038

MLA

"Largest Religious Gatherings by Single-Day Crowd." ANYSTAT, 6 Sep. 2026, https://anystat.ai/stats/1252/largest-religious-gatherings-by-single-day-crowd-1785351038.

Link for your website

<a href="https://anystat.ai/stats/1252/largest-religious-gatherings-by-single-day-crowd-1785351038">Largest Religious Gatherings by Single-Day Crowd</a> (ANYSTAT)

Largest Religious Gatherings by Single-Day Crowd