Sacred Spectacle

The recently concluded Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj was nothing short of a logistical marvel. Over 650 million devotees - twice the population of the United States - took the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. Far more than a religious congregation, it was a demonstration of India’s organizational prowess, seamlessly blending tradition with modern management. The festival generated 1.2 million jobs and injected $36 billion into Uttar Pradesh’s economy. Yet, the event has faced relentless criticism from opposition parties and left-leaning intellectuals who, rather than acknowledging this extraordinary feat, have dismissed it as state-sponsored religious extravagance.

Instead of appreciating the deeply rooted faith of crores of Hindus, many prefer to paint the Kumbh Mela as an affront to secularism. But their argument rings hollow. If secularism entails equal treatment of all religions, why do only Hindu temples remain under state control? The government has, for decades, expropriated tens of billions from temple revenues while allowing institutions of other faiths to operate independently. To decry Yogi Adityanath’s decision to allocate funds for the Maha Kumbh without acknowledging the disproportionate financial burden placed on Hindu religious institutions is intellectual dishonesty at best.

Even the world’s top academics recognize Maha Kumbh’s logistical achievement. Harvard researchers have studied its temporary city, built with simple materials and incredible efficiency, as a model for urban planning. Few mass gatherings of this scale anywhere in the world manage to provide clean water, sanitation, crowd management and emergency services with such precision. Countries struggling with refugee crises and disaster management could well take notes from the organizers of Maha Kumbh 2025. Yet, while foreign scholars marvel at this achievement, India’s own intellectual elite refuse to acknowledge it.

However, the grandeur of the event should not obscure the lessons that must be learned. Despite meticulous planning, a tragic stampede on one of the most auspicious bathing days claimed at least 30 lives and injured 60 others. This is unacceptable. India has hosted these grand events for centuries, and yet crowd-control failures persist. With the next Kumbh Mela set to take place in 2027 at Nashik on the banks of the Godavari, authorities must ensure that such tragedies do not recur. The success of this year’s Maha Kumbh should not breed complacency but serve as a blueprint for further refinement. The Kumbh Mela, as it has evolved, is not merely a Hindu festival but an economic and cultural powerhouse, a demonstration of India’s ability to manage complexity on an unprecedented scale. It is time for critics to move beyond their ideological blinkers and recognize the event for what it is: a triumph of faith, governance and economic vitality. The Maha Kumbh does not need validation from the secular elite; its sanctity and success are already etched into India’s civilizational memory. What remains to be done is to ensure that its next chapter in Nashik is not only as grand but also safer for the millions who will gather in devotion once again.