Prayagraj: Maha Kumbh, the biggest religious congregation on earth, presents two contrasting realities that appear stark. Mostly, packed riverbanks, where tens of lakhs jostle for a holy dip, remain a common sight. Taking a holy dip at the Triveni, however, is a hassle-free 5-star spiritual experience with serendipity for people with power and pelf.
While poor pilgrims endure the agony of trudging their tired legs for miles for their moment of spiritual ecstasy, rich devotees enjoy their exclusive spot. The new coveted 'VIP Sangam' lies at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, right in the middle of the stream. The 'shine and gloss' of media coverage about Maha Kumbh arrangements, hailing organisers often overshadowed the pain and suffering of common people, carrying bundles on their heads and walking hand in hand in the fear of losing their children and elderly near and dear ones in the crowd.
Saraswati, an elderly woman from Arunachal Pradesh, who came to Prayagraj from Arunachal Pradesh along with her three family members, had to shell out Rs 2,22,000, an amount which was spent on flight fare, boat journey and lodging expenses. On being asked about her experience, she said, "I am happy to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. It will take another 144 years to complete the 12-year cycle, so the moment is very rare and auspicious," she said.
She said she has no regrets after her long wait for her delayed flight at the Prayagraj airport. "I'm returning home with a peace of mind that I could take a dip without getting stuck in the crowd. People are saying that there is a lot of crowd in Kumbh, but if you have money, then there is no problem. They are happy that their son has brought them for the Kumbh bath."
Saraswati said, "My son, Shravan Kumar, accompanied me and his mother-in-law here. We kept a budget of Rs 2,50,000. Out of the amount, about Rs 20,000 is left." Giving details, she said their total flight fare was Rs 62,000. Again, they Rs 5,000 for the room at the hotel. The boatman charged Rs 12,000 to take them to Sangam.
The number of landings of flights bringing devotees for Maha Kumbh has crossed the 700 mark. Veena, a devotee from Delhi, said, "I along with my two other sisters came to Prayagraj. Money has never been an issue. This opportunity came after 144 years, so we had to come. There was no proper crowd management from authorities. You see, there is no place to even stand at the airport. We spent Rs 35,000 on flight fares. We expected some sort of comfort but it did not happen. Reaching the Sangam for a dip was a big ordeal." She continued, "My sister was separated and her leg got fractured."
Crowd swells every day
Maha Kumbh keeps setting a new record in terms of devotees' footfall each day. In the Maha Kumbh, the number of devotees usually decreased after Magh Purnima. It is for the first time that the crowd of devotees has increased after Basant Panchami. According to government figures, a new record was made in the Maha Kumbh last weekend and the number of devotees crossed 90 lakh in a single day.
Last Sunday, more than 90 lakh devotees reached Maha Kumbh and took a dip. The total number of people who reached Maha Kumbh crossed 50 crore. More than 36 lakh people took bath on February 17. So far, 52,96,0000 crore have taken holy dip in Maha Kumbh.
Maha Kumbh Contrast: Poor Risk Lives, Rich Enjoy 5-Star Spirituality On VIP Sangam
The new coveted 'VIP Sangam lies at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, right in the middle of the stream.
Published : Feb 18, 2025, 10:36 AM IST
|Updated : Feb 18, 2025, 3:57 PM IST
Prayagraj: Maha Kumbh, the biggest religious congregation on earth, presents two contrasting realities that appear stark. Mostly, packed riverbanks, where tens of lakhs jostle for a holy dip, remain a common sight. Taking a holy dip at the Triveni, however, is a hassle-free 5-star spiritual experience with serendipity for people with power and pelf.
While poor pilgrims endure the agony of trudging their tired legs for miles for their moment of spiritual ecstasy, rich devotees enjoy their exclusive spot. The new coveted 'VIP Sangam' lies at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, right in the middle of the stream. The 'shine and gloss' of media coverage about Maha Kumbh arrangements, hailing organisers often overshadowed the pain and suffering of common people, carrying bundles on their heads and walking hand in hand in the fear of losing their children and elderly near and dear ones in the crowd.
Saraswati, an elderly woman from Arunachal Pradesh, who came to Prayagraj from Arunachal Pradesh along with her three family members, had to shell out Rs 2,22,000, an amount which was spent on flight fare, boat journey and lodging expenses. On being asked about her experience, she said, "I am happy to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. It will take another 144 years to complete the 12-year cycle, so the moment is very rare and auspicious," she said.
She said she has no regrets after her long wait for her delayed flight at the Prayagraj airport. "I'm returning home with a peace of mind that I could take a dip without getting stuck in the crowd. People are saying that there is a lot of crowd in Kumbh, but if you have money, then there is no problem. They are happy that their son has brought them for the Kumbh bath."
Saraswati said, "My son, Shravan Kumar, accompanied me and his mother-in-law here. We kept a budget of Rs 2,50,000. Out of the amount, about Rs 20,000 is left." Giving details, she said their total flight fare was Rs 62,000. Again, they Rs 5,000 for the room at the hotel. The boatman charged Rs 12,000 to take them to Sangam.
The number of landings of flights bringing devotees for Maha Kumbh has crossed the 700 mark. Veena, a devotee from Delhi, said, "I along with my two other sisters came to Prayagraj. Money has never been an issue. This opportunity came after 144 years, so we had to come. There was no proper crowd management from authorities. You see, there is no place to even stand at the airport. We spent Rs 35,000 on flight fares. We expected some sort of comfort but it did not happen. Reaching the Sangam for a dip was a big ordeal." She continued, "My sister was separated and her leg got fractured."
Crowd swells every day
Maha Kumbh keeps setting a new record in terms of devotees' footfall each day. In the Maha Kumbh, the number of devotees usually decreased after Magh Purnima. It is for the first time that the crowd of devotees has increased after Basant Panchami. According to government figures, a new record was made in the Maha Kumbh last weekend and the number of devotees crossed 90 lakh in a single day.
Last Sunday, more than 90 lakh devotees reached Maha Kumbh and took a dip. The total number of people who reached Maha Kumbh crossed 50 crore. More than 36 lakh people took bath on February 17. So far, 52,96,0000 crore have taken holy dip in Maha Kumbh.
