To go missing at Kumbh Mela is an age-old colloquial motif. As much as we love to brush it off as a joke, the bare truth behind it is alarming.

If you haven’t been to Kumbh Mela yet, to witness its sheer vastness and magnificence, you have at least come across reports on how people get lost in huge numbers at the event. In 2013, approximately 2.75 lakh people were reported missing at the Maha Kumbh Mela.