The Mahakumbh 2025 can also be seen as a symbolic representation of the good in Indian society. (PTI Photo)
Jan 6, 2025 19:43 IST First published on: Jan 6, 2025 at 19:43 IST
The Mahakumbh, the largest gathering of people in the world, is going to be held in Prayagraj this year from January 13 and will continue till February 26. An estimated 40 crore people are expected to participate in the religious conglomeration of “sanatan sanskriti”. The Kumbh Mela is unique in the sense that people come to it for their own reasons. It is also unique in that it is organised by people, saints, akharas and panths together. It is a space where state, society and religion work in tandem.
BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh seem keen to link this vibrant heritage with their own current development projects, achievements and capacities.
Ascetics, saints, yogis, sarkar, mantri, santri, garib and amir — diverse strands of society come together at the confluence of rivers to celebrate this religious event. People from across the country showcase the multiplicity of beliefs and the Bharatiya ethos.
The Mahakumbh 2025 can also be seen as a symbolic representation of the good in Indian society. Sewa (social service), daan (gift/charity) and bhalai (well-being) are reflected in cultural actions. Several social service religious sects and institutions will be seen at the Kumbh performing sewa.
The Mahakumbh 2025 has emerged as a socially inclusive space in which people from various castes and communities gather and participate in the event in various ways. Anyone can take the holy dip. The event is open to sarva samaj, Indian and non-Indians, Hindus and non-Hindus. The Sanatani akharas, the Buddhists, Kabirpanthis, Ravidasis, and Kinnar (transgender) akhara also participate in the Kumbh Mela. They also organise bhandaras and provide other kinds of social services for common people.
The Kumbh Mela space also emerges as a marketplace. Shopkeepers of several castes and religions sell various kinds of articles such as garlands, vermillion, bindis, etc. According to most estimates, Kumbh may generate around Rs 200 crore in business this year. This opportunity is being availed mostly by small businesses, those in the unorganised sectors and local people.
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The Mahakumbh Mela as a socio-religious space is also inclusive because it empowers women to participate in it with social and religious freedom. The Mela administration has already organised various gender training programmes to make the event more women-friendly.
The Mahakumbh is a religious event that is imbued with social meaning. It should be an occasion for everyone to let go of differences of opinion, ego, rivalries and other negative bhava, as suggested by eminent Hindi novelist Nirmal Verma in a travelogue based on his visit to the Allahabad Kumbh a few decades ago.
The writer is director, G B Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad. He is also the author of Fractured Tales: Invisibles in Indian Democracy. Views are personal
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