PM Modi stated that experts in planning, policy, and contemporary management should study this Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj. The holy city of Prayagraj has successfully hosted the Maha Kumbh. Unity has finished its magnificent Mahayajna. A nation can breathe freely in the fresh air of renewed energy when its consciousness awakens and it is released from the bonds of a centuries-old attitude of oppression. Since January 13, the outcome of this has been observed at Prayagraj’s Ekta Ka Maha Kumbh (Maha Kumbh of Unity).
I discussed Devbhakti and Deshbhakti, or devotion to the nation and to the divine, on January 22, 2024, in the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Gods and goddesses, saints, women, children, young people, the elderly, and people from all walks of life gathered at Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh. We saw the country’s consciousness awakened. This was Ekta Ka Maha Kumbh, where 140 crore Indians’ emotions came together for this holy occasion at the same time and location.
The meeting place of Prabhu Shri Ram and Nishadraj is Shringverpur, a sacred place of harmony, love, and oneness in the holy region of Prayagraj. Their encounter represented the union of love and friendship. Prayagraj continues to inspire us in the same way now.
I saw millions of people travelling to the Sangam from all over the nation for forty-five days. At the confluence, the emotional tide continued to rise. The goal of each devotee’s visit was to dip in the Sangam. Every pilgrim was energised, enthusiastic, and full of confidence by the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati.
Experts in planning, policy, and contemporary management are studying this Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. There isn’t a comparable or exemplary scale anywhere in the globe.
When crores of people congregated at Prayagraj, on the banks of the confluence of rivers, the world watched in awe. These folks didn’t receive official invites or advance notice of their departure time. Nevertheless, millions of individuals travelled independently to the Maha Kumbh and experienced the joy of swimming in the hallowed waters.
After the holy dip, I will never forget those faces that were beaming with happiness and contentment. Everyone managed to go to the Sangam, even women, elders, and our Divyang brothers and sisters.
I found it really encouraging to see how many young people from India participated. The younger generation’s attendance at the Maha Kumbh conveys a powerful message: India’s youth will carry on our rich cultural legacy. They are dedicated to continuing it because they recognise their duty to preserve it.
There is no doubt that the number of people who came to Prayagraj for this Maha Kumbh has set new records. However, crores of people who were unable to attend Prayagraj felt a strong emotional connection to the event in addition to those who were physically there. For millions of people, the holy water that pilgrims returned with offered them spiritual joy. Many of the people who returned from the Maha Kumbh were acknowledged by society and treated with dignity in their communities.
The events of the past few weeks have been unprecedented and have set the stage for future millennia. Prayagraj received more devotees than anyone had anticipated. Based on previous Kumbh experiences, the administration had projected attendance.
Participating in this Ekta Ka Maha Kumbh were almost twice as many Americans.
Scholars of spirituality who examine the enthusiastic involvement of crores of Indians will discover that India, proud of its history, is now advancing with renewed vigour. I think that a new period is beginning, one that will shape India’s destiny.
The Maha Kumbh has bolstered India’s sense of national identity for millennia. During each Purnakumbh, a group of saints, academics, and intellectuals would convene to discuss the social conditions of their day. Their thoughts once gave the country and society a fresh course. Every six years, during the Ardhkumbh, these ideas were reviewed. Following 12 Purnakumbh events over 144 years, outmoded customs were abandoned, more modern concepts were accepted, and new customs were established in order to keep up with the times.
In this Maha Kumbh, our saints have once again given us a fresh message for India’s progress after 144 years. Viksit Bharat, or Developed India, is the message.
All pilgrims, regardless of caste, creed, or ideology, from India or overseas, from the East or the West, from the North or the South, from villages or cities, young or old, rich or poor, gathered at this Ekta Ka Maha Kumbh. The vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat was embodied in this, giving crores of people confidence.
For the sake of creating a developed India, we must now unite in the same spirit.
I think of the time when Shri Krishna showed His mother, Yashoda, a picture of the entire cosmos in His mouth when He was a young boy. The people of India and the rest of the globe have also witnessed the immense potential of India’s combined might during this Maha Kumbh. With this confidence in hand, we must now proceed and commit to creating a developed India.
In the past, the Bhakti movement’s saints had recognised and bolstered the power of our nation’s unity. Every great thinker, from Sri Aurobindo to Swami Vivekananda, reminded us of the strength of our unity. During the struggle for independence, Mahatma Gandhi also went through it. After independence, this collective strength might have been a powerful force for a newly independent country if it had been appropriately acknowledged and used to improve everyone’s quality of life. Regretfully, it wasn’t completed sooner. However, I am now happy to see how the people’s combined might is bringing India closer to development.
From the ancient texts to the contemporary satellites, from the Vedas to Vivekananda, India’s profound traditions have moulded our country. I pray that as citizens, we find fresh motivation in the saints’ and forefathers’ memory. I hope that this Ekta Ka Maha Kumbh would assist us in making new decisions. Let us use unity as our compass. Let’s approach our work with the knowledge that serving the country means serving God.
I had declared during my Kashi election campaign that “Maa Ganga has called me.” This was a call to duty for the cleanliness of our holy rivers as well as a feeling. My will grew greater when I stood in Prayagraj, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati converged. Our personal lives are closely related to the cleanliness of our rivers. As moms of life, it is our duty to honour our rivers, no matter how great or small. We are motivated to continue our efforts to keep our waterways clean because of this Maha Kumbh.
I am aware that planning an event of this size was not simple. I ask Maa Saraswati, Maa Yamuna, and Maa Ganga to pardon us if our devotion was lacking in any way. I consider the people, or Janata Janardan, to be the manifestation of God. I also ask the people for their pardon if we have failed in our attempts to serve them.
With a sense of commitment, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visited the Maha Kumbh. Serving them was a duty that was performed with the same sense of commitment. As a member of parliament from Uttar Pradesh, I can state with pride that the people and the government collaborated to make this Ekta Ka Maha Kumbh a success under the direction of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. There were no administrators or rulers in either the state or the centre; instead, everyone was a devout Sevak. Everyone put in a lot of overtime, including the police, sanitation staff, boatmen, drivers, and food servers. It was especially admirable how the inhabitants of Prayagraj, in spite of several inconveniences, greeted the pilgrims with open arms. I want to thank them and the people of Uttar Pradesh from the bottom of my heart.
I have consistently believed in our country’s promising future. My conviction has been greatly reinforced by witnessing this Maha Kumbh.
It’s amazing how 1.4 billion Indians made the Ekta Ka Maha Kumbh a worldwide event. Inspired by our people’s commitment, devotion, and hard work, I shall shortly travel to Shri Somnath, the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas, to offer Him the results of our nation’s combined efforts and to pray for all Indians.
Even though Maha Kumbh’s physical manifestation came to a successful conclusion on Mahashivratri, its spiritual power, national consciousness, and unity will continue to inspire us for years to come, much like the Ganga’s unending flow.