Barbers’ income on Sangam banks tripled during grand Mahakumbh

Prayagraj : The Prayagraj Mahakumbh 2025 has been a grand spiritual gathering and a powerful economic growth catalyst. People from all sections of society who contributed their services during the Mahakumbh have reaped significant benefits, improving their quality of life. Among them, thousands of families from the barber community who performed Mundan Sanskar on the banks of Sangam have found renewed hope and strength.

The historic influx of over 66 crore devotees to Prayagraj Mahakumbh set a remarkable milestone. This massive turnout provided substantial economic opportunities to various communities, including boatmen and priests, who served tirelessly along the ghats. For the barber community, the event proved to be a game-changer. Their livelihood, largely dependent on performing Mundan ceremonies for devotees, witnessed an unprecedented boost.

Barber Ram Pal Sharma, who conducts Mundan Sanskar near Kila Ghat, expressed his astonishment at the economic impact of
Mahakumbh. Before the event, his daily earnings ranged between Rs 400 to 500.

However, during the Mahakumbh, he consistently earned Rs 1,500 to 2,000 daily. This unexpected income will now help him complete long-pending tasks at home.

Similarly, Shivraj Sharma, who has been occupied from morning till evening at the ‘Nai Bara’ in Sector 3, shared that the entire barber community is overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for the generosity of the devotees.

In addition to the priests, members of the barber community actively served at various ghats along the Sangam banks. Many also operated independently below the dam road.

According to Ram Kumar Sharma, Vice President of the Provincial Barber Thakur Sudharak Sabha, the livelihood of 3,460 families from the barber community is linked to these ghats. He said, “For their convenience, a dedicated ‘Nai Bara’ was established in Sector 3, ensuring a steady daily workflow. Furthermore, the community played a vital role in performing Mundan Sanskar for over 5,000 newly initiated Naga monks, which proved to be a significant source of income.”

Ram Bhavan Sharma, President of the same Sabha, acknowledged minor challenges like crowd management and traffic issues during the Mahakumbh but emphasized the profound happiness within the community.

He highlighted that their earnings during the event were nearly three times higher than usual, bringing a transformative change to their lives. Expressing his admiration, he remarked that the scale and organization of the Mahakumbh under the leadership of Yogi Maharaj were beyond imagination.