Maha Kumbh 2025: National Book Trust Launches 24/7 Reading Lounge For Visitors

Visitors and book lovers at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 will now have a 24/7 reading lounge to frequent.

Organised by the National Book Trust, India, the reading lounge is set up inside the Namami Gange Mandap, at Sector 1, Parade Ground, Prayagraj.

The reading lounge was frequented by nearly one lakh visitors on the first day itself. With this, Shri Amit Yadav (IAS), Secretary of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment recently visited the Namami Gange Mandap and the NBT reading lounge as well.

The NBT reading lounge offers nearly 1000 titles across genres, authored by diverse writers. These titles include books on Indian philosophy, and values central to Indian culture as well as books authored on the Kumbh Mela itself.

For instance, books like Kumbh Ke Mele Mein Mangalvasi by Arvind Mishra, Bharat Mein Kumbh by Dhananjay Chopra and A Visit to Kumbh by Anita Jain Bhatnagar will be available to visitors at the NBT 24/7 reading lounge.

Additionally, the NBT Pustak Parikrama (mobile book exhibition) will be making its rounds at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.

Further, the Ministry of Education’s Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya also marks a presence at the National Book Trust’s reading lounge and library at the Maha Kumbh Mela. The initiative brings readers an endless choice of titles across genres, that users can read from any device of their choice.

At the NBT reading lounge inside the Namami Gange Pavillion, visitors will be guided on how they can install the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya app on their mobile phones or quite simply scan a QR code to access thousands of e-books, stories and learning resources in 23 languages for free.

The world’s largest congregation of people, the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 is held every 12 years and is recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, playing a “central role in the country, exerting a mesmeric influence on ordinary Indians.”

Held at Prayagraj, at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical invisible, Sarasvati, the Maha Kumbh Mela brings to devotees and visitors a rich convergence of faith, science, culture, sociality and collectivity, embodying India’s spiritual heritage and celebrates faith and harmony.

A celebration of faith and harmony, the Maha Kumbh Mela is an event that intrinsically encapsulates the science of astronomy, astrology, spirituality and social-cultural customs and practices.

The event and the dynamic melting pot of knowledge in all its forms offer the perfect venue for the National Book Trust, India to make its unique contribution to this celebration of knowledge and learning.

Also Read: Shankar Mahadevan Mesmerizes Devotees With Soulful Performance At Maha Kumbh’s ‘Sanskriti Ka Sangam’