(February 26, 2025) For many, the Kumbh Mela is more than just a religious event; it is a grand celebration of India’s rich cultural heritage, drawing people from all walks of life into a festival of faith, devotion, and unity. When the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 commenced on January 13 — the auspicious day of Paush Purnima, marking the start of a 45-day-long spiritual and cultural celebration in Prayagraj — renowned scientist Professor Gyaneshwer Chaubey had several plans up his sleeve, besides taking the holy dip.
With millions of devotees converging in Prayagraj for this once-in-a-lifetime Maha Kumbh, the event also presents a unique opportunity to explore something deeper — the ancestral and genetic diversity of India itself.
Prof Gyaneshwer Chaubey
Recognising this, Prof Chaubey, who is a former Senior Scientist at the Estonian Biocentre in Tartu, set out on a scientific mission at the Kumbh Mela 2025: to capture the vast genetic diversity of India through DNA analysis. Every week since the Maha Kumbh’s commencement, he and his team has been religiously making their way from Varanasi, some 120 kms away, to collect DNA samples from the visitors, including Naga Sadhus, in the form of their saliva.
“The primary goal of our study is to analyse the proportion of regional ancestry represented in Maha Kumbh. With millions taking the holy dip, it will give us a clear picture of the genomic diversity,” says Prof Gyaneshwer Chaubey (Department of Zoology), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), in an exclusive chat with Global Indian.
This is a first-of-its-kind-study, wherein DNA data is being utilised to assess the level of Indian diversity represented at Kumbh, marking a major breakthrough in anthropology, genetics, and cultural studies. Prof Chaubey, is a former lecturer at the University of Tartu and a visiting scientist at Sanger Institute, UK. His works have been published in major journals like Nature, PNAS, Genome Research and American Journal of Human Genetics.
Over 60 crore devotees (and counting) have taken the holy dip at the ongoing Maha Kumbh mela, which comes to an end on February 26, on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri.
Decoding India’s Genetic Diversity at the Maha Kumbh
While the world soaked in spirituality at the Kumbh, people from every corner of India and all walks of life converged at Prayagraj for the mega event. But how does one assess the Indian diversity? “The answer lies in the genes,” smiles Prof Chaubey, who is presently camping at the Kumbh, collecting samples from people even as the mega event comes to a close.
Getting into the specifics of the study, Prof Chaubey, known worldwide for his extraordinary work in the fields of Biological Anthropology, Medical Genetics and Forensics, says the idea to undertake the study was born in early 2024.
Prof Gyaneshwer Chaubey
India’s genetic diversity is vast, shaped over centuries by migration, regional settlements, and cultural exchange. But capturing this diversity through science isn’t easy. The Maha Kumbh, where millions from across the country come together, presents a rare opportunity to study how regional ancestry is woven into India’s genetic fabric. “Kumbh has always attracted millions of people from the length and breadth of the country. We decided it was the best way to see how much of regional ancestry was represented at the Kumbh,” informs Prof Chaubey.
Building a Genetic Database of India
For the inquisitive group of scientists, the study will also highlight the Indian states that contributed the highest number of attendees. “We already have a detailed database of profiles from North and South India, along with various ethnic groups from the Himalayas,” informs Prof Chaubey, pointing out that 1,000 samples are enough to represent the genetic diversity at Kumbh.
Access to this established database that reflects the diversity will be of immense help to the scientists. “This database shows that populations predominantly align with geographical separations regarding their ancestral sharing,” elaborates Prof Chaubey.
Prof Gyaneshwer Chaubey at Maha Kumbh
How 1,000 Samples Unlock India’s Genetic Story
While it is widely believed that visitors from North India made up a significant portion of the Kumbh attendees, Prof. Chaubey and his team aim to analyse whether this is reflected in the genetic data. “We have collected a total of 1,000 random samples,” informs Prof Chaubey, who along with Prof VN Mishra (Head of Neurology, Institute of Medical Sciences BHU), Assistant Professor Sachin Kumar Tiwary (Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture & Archaeology), BHU is spearheading the study.
Considering that there are approximately 500 million people, can 1,000 samples capture the genomic diversity of all Kumbh visitors?
To illustrate this, Prof Chaubey categorises India into four major regions: East, West, North, and South. “If half of the Kumbh visitors come from the North, with the remaining three regions each contributing 25 percent, our samples should reflect this. However, frequent visitors may be overrepresented, while those from less populated regions might be underrepresented,” he explains.
A Positive Response to a Landmark Study
Since Maha Kumbh 2025 began, a team of scientists has been engaging randomly with visitors to discuss their project. “We explain our research, and with their consent, we collect saliva samples. While not everyone chooses to participate, the response has been encouraging,” says Prof. Chaubey, whose previous work on several ethnic groups of South Asia including Andaman, Austroasiatic, Indian Jews and Parsis, had the attention of all the leading scientists across the world.
Challenges in Representing India’s Diversity
The study has its limitations, primarily the risk of potential underrepresentation of individuals from less populated regions. “For example, if only 100 visitors from Mizoram attend, there is a chance that their DNA samples may not be included in our collection. However, this is still the most effective method for estimating the genetic diversity at Kumbh,” explains Prof. Chaubey.
He says the government may also be tracking the locations of individuals visiting the Kumbh, which could yield more data. “However, this method has its limitations. For instance, if individuals from Uttar Pradesh who currently reside in Maharashtra attend the Kumbh, their recorded addresses will reflect Maharashtra, even though their ancestral roots are in Uttar Pradesh,” he explains.
How DNA Mapping Provides a Clearer Ancestral Link
Therefore, utilizing DNA estimation provides a more accurate reflection of their origins than merely counting individuals based on their addresses, he says adding the study will take at least one year. Once done, the study is expected to be published in some of the high profile journals across the world.
The primary expense in the ongoing study is genotyping, which costs ₹4,200 per sample. To fund the genetic analyses, Prof. Chaubey and Prof. Mishra have already reached out to various funding agencies. The complete genetic analysis is expected to take approximately one year.
From Varanasi to Global Science
Born and raised in Chaubepur, a village near Varanasi, Prof Gyaneshwer’s scientific journey took him across the world, but his roots always pulled him back home. He moved to Estonia for his PhD at the University of Tartu, where he also taught Master’s students. His research took him further to Cambridge’s Sanger Institute, where he honed his skills in genome analysis, before returning to Estonia as a senior scientist at the Estonian Biocentre. But in 2017, his father’s failing health brought him back to India. At just the right time, Banaras Hindu University was hiring, and he joined as a professor. Since then, he has continued groundbreaking research on Indian ancestry, the ancient gotra system, and even led crucial studies on COVID-19, making a global impact while staying deeply connected to his homeland.
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Kumbh Mela’s Final Days: Faith and Science Unite
A unique and extremely auspicious time for prayers and rituals, the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj happens once in every 144 years. Seeking enlightenment and spiritual cleansing, millions of devotees congregate to bathe in the holy rivers. This time around, large number of people from across the world took the holy dip.
As the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 nears its conclusion on February 26, coinciding with Maha Shivaratri, Prof. Chaubey’s research highlights the Kumbh’s significance beyond spirituality—it’s a unique opportunity to study India’s genetic diversity.
For centuries, the Kumbh has brought together people from different cultures, beliefs, and traditions. Now, through science, it also tells the story of India’s ancestry, written in its genes.
- Follow Prof Gyaneshwer Chaubey on LinkedIn
Commendable study. Hearty congratulations & best wishes to Prof. Gyaneshwar & team.
Naga Sandhu like groups represent ancient substratum and continuity. Their congregation at this rare event, Kumbh Mela, is an unique opportunity. Genomics may contribute to reconstruct composition of exquisite groups representing ancient Indian ethos. Kudos to Professor Chaube and his team.
Great initiative taken by the Prof. Gyaneshwar and team. I’m excited for the results of the study.
Congratulations to all the including team members 🎉
The one and only, Gyan and his Khumb efforts. Impeccable Gyan! Sincere salutations!
Prash