First-time pilgrim: 20 tips

1. Choose your day. Amrit Snan days are the most auspicious and the most crowded; quieter days are better for elders and children.

2. Book your stay early, ideally months ahead for August and September 2027, and only with official or verified providers. Never pay advance money to unknown agents.

3. Check official notices for traffic plans, parking zones and shuttle routes a few days before you travel.

4. Download the offline map and save emergency numbers: 112 for all emergencies and 108 for an ambulance.

5. Make a family safety card for every member, with a phone number, a meeting point and any medical notes.

6. A small bag only: water, a light snack, any medicines, ID and some cash in small notes.

7. A fully charged phone and a power bank.

8. Footwear you can slip off near the ghat, and a plastic cover to keep it in.

9. A towel and a change of clothes for after the snan.

10. Leave jewellery and valuables at home or locked in your room.

11. Agree on one meeting point, such as a numbered gate or an info desk, before you enter any crowded area.

12. Start early. Ghats are calmer before sunrise, and roads close as the day goes on.

13. Keep children in front of you and hold hands in crowds. Put the safety card in their pocket.

14. Rest in shaded areas and drink water regularly, even if you do not feel thirsty.

15. Note your parking zone or shuttle stop number and share it with your group.

16. Bathe only in marked areas and stay within the barricades.

17. Never push against the crowd. If it surges, move diagonally towards the edge.

18. Follow police and volunteers. Barricades and instructions are there for your safety.

19. Keep the river clean: no soap, no plastic, offerings only where allowed.

20. If someone in your group is lost, go straight to the nearest police help desk or lost-and-found centre, or call 112.