Starting on 13 January 2025 and running for a period spanning 45 days, culminating on the occasion of the Maha Sanan on the auspicious Mahashivratri on 26 February 2025, the Mahakumbh at Prayagraj, in UP, India, is among the largest religious-cultural assemblies in the world. During its observance from 13 January to the conclusion of "Maha Snan" on Mahashivratri, a daunting but real number of twelve kisses along with a distinguished roll of devotees, numbering well over six and a half crores, made their way to wait longer. Although it was done under the surveillance of authorities, this congregation was, on the whole, uneventful. There were a few unfortunate incidents, including a stampede on Mauni Amavasya that resulted in the death of 30 devotees and injuries to about a hundred. This was the biggest stampede to occur because of mob frenzy and the huge crowd when many people crushed those sleeping near Trivani Ghat while the stampede was trying to take holy dip. Besides being religio-cultural and religious, it became an economic activity as thousands of people made a bearable living from it and others started trades and economic activities alongside religious and cultural rituals.
The largest gathering of followers of the Sanatan Dharma rests on scientific principles of a planetary happening. However, there was a significant amount of political commotion and accusation leveled against the Yogi government by some political parties of mismanagement and lack of planning that were responsible for the deaths of 30 fellow pilgrims. No doubt the Yogi government deserves a lot of credit for keeping Mahakumbh pretty much on track. Though there was a lot of politicking going on, the state government of UP led and supervised by CM Yogi took great care to conduct Maha Kumbh with due promise of success.
It is very significant and epoch –making that half of the world’s Sanatan Dharam Population took holy dip in the sacred water at the confluence of the three rivers such as Yamuna, Ganga and mystical Sarswati. it is believed that Lord Vidhnu had dropped the drops of elixir called in Religious language Amrit/nectar at Prayagraj .It is also the widely held view and belief that by taking a dip at Prayagraj at the Trivine, all the sins of the devotees are absolved and the soul is purified. Moreover, Sanatani’s believe that by bathing at this place in Kumbh /Mahakumbh one gets Salvation that is called in religious terminology as Moksha–freedom from recurrent birth and death and thus one is liberated which is the highest aim in Sanatan Dharma
What is more soothing to eye and heart is the fact that such a largest congregation of religion and culture came to end after 45 days from its beginning successfully and the credit for this giant success goes to Yogi, his government and all those involved in making arrangements for the Mahakumbh. There is really some greatness associated with Mahakumbh that people in such a largest number were seen participating in this religious, cultural gathering which is also a symbol of unity in diversity.
The month-long Maha Kumbha or the great Kumbha Mela in Prayagraj reflected not only India but mini-world, as devotees flocked to this mega Sanatan Dharma festival not merely in India but from across the globe. Mahakumbh is indeed a very rare Hindu pilgrimage happening once in every 144 years. There is an astronomy behind Mahakumbh: it's the alignment of celestial bodies that took place with a planetary parade from a celestial December 2025, with Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune already visible. Added to this is the spiritual depth during the rare celestial event, since Hindus believe that such cosmological feats improve spiritual energy, poise, and divine consciousness. In fact, Mahakumbh Mela held at Prayagraj saw 650 million devotees pouring in from across the world, and was concluded last February 26, coinciding with the festival of Mahashivratri, peacefully, gracefully, and in the spirit of unity and diversity. The Mahakumbh concluded officially after six weeks on this auspicious day, with hundreds of thousands of devotees arriving for the last of the holy dips taken in the river confluence at Prayagraj, coinciding with the colorful festival of Mahashivratri. Mahashivratri signifies the merger of the supreme god Shiva and goddess Parvati and has profound significance in the Kumbh context; it is said that those who bathe at the sacred rivers along the confluence of the Yamuna, the Ganga, and the hidden Saraswati are released from life.
As per Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva was an important participant in a ritual of cosmic churning known as Samudra Manthan or turning of the ocean, which led to the appearance of the Amrit Kumbh, meaning nectar pot. Shouting ''Har Har Mahadev'' hundreds of thousands of devotees took this holy dip at Triveni Sangam in Mahashivratri as 45 days' Mahakumbh winded up. This took place after a gap of 144 years. A sea of humanity took the dip in this auspicious occasion at the confluence of the three holy rivers at the Sangam Prayagraj. The mega religious and cultural event has drawn a record over 65 crore pilgrims at the close from the commencement of the Mela. CM Yogi Adityanath personally monitored the Sanan from 4 am at Gorakhpur with his senior officials. In a post on X, the CM wrote, "Heartfelt congratulations to all the saints, Kalpvasis and devotees who had gathered here and took a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam today on the holy bathing festival of Mahashivratri, dedicated to the worship of Lord Bholenath in Mahakumbh 2025, Prayagraj-Har Har Mahadev!" As this is the last auspicious snan of the Mahakumbh, a very large number of devotees started gathering upon the banks of the sangam from well past midnight, while still several camped and waited eagerly. Hundreds performed the bathing rituals much ahead of the designated time. The mega religious festival was dubbed as the world's largest spiritual gathering on the earth on its last day and Pilgrims from all four corners of the country, even abroad thronged the congregation.
With devotees pouring in by the thousands, the authorities certainly helped to ensure no overcrowding occurred. Creeping from the painful stampede that engulfed the nation on 29 February 2025, the UP police, security forces, and the state government had learned their lessons and therefore took fitting measures for an incident-free Mahakumbh on its final day. In sum, then, praise is due the UP Chief Minister Yogi for their scientific arrangements and management at the fair in Prayagraj. The successful Mahakumbh at Prayagraj will also have some political ramifications and lessons, as, with the enhanced political fortune of the UP BJP and its unquestioned leader Yogi Adityanath, the message of a successful handling of the processions will be deeply felt in the coming state assembly elections and will provides a catch for votes thus leaving room for frustration among the opposition and forcing them to resort to the politicking of the religio-cultural congregation.
(Vivek Koul)
0 Comments