- Indian Railways is planning to issue NFT tickets for the MahaKumbh Mela festival
- The festival takes place approximately once every 12 years at four pilgrimage sites
- The NFTs will be powered by Ethereum layer 2 network Polygon
Indian Railways has partnered with blockchain-focused firm Chaincode Consulting to issue Polygon-based NFTs for the MahaKumbh Mela festival. The festival happens once every 12 years and this year’s gathering is unique because it coincides with a celestial alignment witnessed once every 144 years. The train tickets will be available on Chaincode Consulting’s collectibles platform NFTtrace, a move that bridges the gap between the physical and the digital world.
NFTs Complement MahaKumbh’s Spiritual Significance
According to Chaincode Consulting CEO Alok Gupta, the NFTs unlock a new level of engagement and complement “the spiritual and traditional significance of the MahaKumbh.” The NFTs are also meant to attract international participation.
Indian Railways is introducing #NFT-based train tickets for travelers attending the Mahakumbh Mela, a major Hindu festival and pilgrimage held once every 144 years. pic.twitter.com/oFbw0wAOKZ
— DeFi Planet (@PlanetDefi) January 13, 2025
Indian Railways and Chaincode Consulting settled on the Ethereum layer 2 due to its scalability, high transaction speed, and low gas fees. Apart from serving their initial purpose of being train tickets, the NFTs will also offer a historical and traceable record of attending one of the rarest spiritual events.
Among those expected to attend this year’s festival is former Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ widow Laurene Jobs. The event has in the past attracted celebrities and notable figures like the Dalai Lama.
NFT Tickets Are Digital Souvenirs
This isn’t the first time Indian Railways has interacted with collectibles. In March last year, for example, it offered NFT tickets to Holi, another Hindu festival. The NFT tickets were meant to be digital souvenirs and a celebration “of the rich cultural tapestry of Lucknow and Delhi.”
In the spirit of Holi, IRCTC unveils a vibrant tapestry of NFT tickets for the Lucknow-New Delhi-Lucknow IRCTC Tejas trains (82501/82502), available from March 20th to April 2nd.
These tickets are not merely digital souvenirs; they are a celebration of the rich cultural… pic.twitter.com/fsH0NwH2ZN
— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) March 13, 2024
Indian Railways’ move comes a year after leading European airline group Lufthansa unveiled a Polygon-powered NFT loyalty program. It also comes when traditional entities like Sports Illustrated, Ticketmaster, Major League Soccer, and the Vatican Library are exploring the NFT world.
With Indian Railways continuing its interaction with NFTs, it’s to be seen whether it’ll make NFTs a permanent offering instead of issuing them during major festivals.
