A human invasion almost akin to the annual migration in Serengeti, where some six million hooves pound the open plains in Africa. But mercifully, this Mela occurs only once in twelve years. However, the one this year is a Maha Kumbh occurring only in 144 years.
When I heard about the event, despite being aware that prayers of ordinary mortals may not be answered , I hoped against hope that there should be no stampede and no death. Well, my worst fears were confirmed by the avoidable tragedy at the railway station where 36 people gave up their lives like herds in Serengeti. This is what happens when faith overlooks safety, superstition replaces reason and religious myth makes humans herds of cattle.
Astronomical numbers
The scale of attendance of the devout at the Maha Kumbh is astronomical and mind-boggling. The estimates of the number of pilgrims expected range from 35 million to 80 million. Just imagine such vast numbers converging on a single piece of land only 8 sq.mile in area: they sleep in tents, bathe, eat, drink, and some of them smoke charas, on the sands of the river.
The administration is left with the Herculean task of installing water and electricity lines, setting up police stations and building 90 km of makeshift roads and 17 pontoon bridges to cater to the visiting faithful.
Even if one estimate puts the number of toilets constructed at 1,40,000, including 35,000 portable potties, much to the chagrin of Jairam Ramesh, visitors could see open defecation. The health department is worried sick about the outbreak of epidemics even as mosquitoes and flies swarm the place, despite use of copious quantities of bleaching powder and fumigant.
Arrangements are also made for the orderly conduct of the ceremonial processions of sadhus belonging to various akharas — a star attraction of the mela — for ritual bathing, particularly on three important festival days, rendering crowd control a parlous feat.
The sadhus draw huge numbers of curious onlookers. Thousands of them come as if from nowhere and stay for free throughout the Kumbh period lasting eight weeks.
Health risks
The Kumbh Mela is, no doubt, a great tradition: visitors even as far back as the famous seventh century traveller from China, Hsuan-Tsang, have written about what they observed. Even now, it may help in sharing the thrilling experience of travel and community bath. But we city dwellers are content to watch it from afar.
Why are the perspectives of the vast mass of visitors to Kumbh different from ours? Maybe, we are afraid of catching infectious diseases from such a mass ablutionary exercise in icy cold water.
But do these millions of visitors not see any potential risk to their health even if the purpose is to seek divine blessings? We do not know of any statistics about the health status of these bathers after the Kumbh. How many of them caught caught diseases, as they went back home?
Likewise, I am sure most us have not personally come across any of the sadhus belonging to these akharas. We know more about them from published photo stories in glossy journals from abroad. We hear about freaks; one sadhu who claims to have lived for two hundred years, or another who has not sat down for ten years even to sleep and a third who has kept one arm raised for years and a fourth who has not combed his hair for a quarter of a century, and so on.
Salvation for many, and death due to accidents for some. Strange are the outcomes of religious faith.
(The author is a retired civil servant)
Comments:
The condescending opening lines and contemptuous perspective speaks volumes about the larger lack of integral empathy with the culture and wishes of the human beings participating in the holy Mahakumbh - do we have to demean and rubbish a humungous endeavour that we may not rationally understand?
The stampedes, fires, deaths only point to the utter incompetence of the govt - both of the railways and state government - in NOT compassionately enabling these CITIZENS of our country to fulfill their aspirations however much they might appear to be 'superstitious' in your viewpoint - have the courtesy to respect them for what seek to do however much you might disagree!
It is high time, the administration and the armchair decision makers got out of their high pedestals to work VERY hard to ENABLE the infrastructure and support for such phenomenal events to live up to the minimal standards that they pontificate about rather than lathi-charge humans in undignified ways causing such deaths!
Lets see if the self appointed 'liberal' author use the same contemptuous language for pilgrimages of other religions as well.
I take strong objection to this article and consider it an assault on our culture and traditions.
Comparing pilgrimage to animal migration, calling pilgrims 'herds of cattle', faith as
superstitious and against reason and other such highly objectionable references.
The writer refers to pilgrims as distinct from 'us' 'city dwellers'. 'They' carry diseases,
defecate openly, have no sense of hygene, and deserving death from accidents during the
mela.
'We' never come across the 'freak' sadhus personally and only see then in photo essays of
'glossy journals from abroad.'
My objection with The Hindu is that how could editors allow such an article that clearly
offends, is disrespectful, objectionable, lame and stupid be published.
Regards,
Arya
P.S. I am a 'city dweller' and have travelled around the world but have immense belief in
kumbh mela.
Keeping apart the religious significance, it is a huge logistics
exercise. Just an amazing piece of township planning to handle such a
huge spike in in-flow…
It was mind-boggling for me when I physically went to Kumbh couple of
weeks back.
BTW, coming to the faith part, I saw numerous foreigners who have
descended there – not just from research perspective - take the ritual
bath at sangam without any issues – some of them don’t even understand
English – forget Hindi….
Some times, I just feel lucky that I am born in this country which has
such a rich heritage and tradition…
How can the author conclude it is a religious myth. Ram's Bridge was thought a religious myth. Not any more. Comparing the crowd with animals was not in good taste
I fail to understand who is the learned here. The author who is so contemptuous or the sadhus at the Kumbh. Not that the sadhus care though. It is known that the kumbh will attract 50 million plus devotees, in advance. What has the state done to ensure hygiene? I am sure a person with IAS credentials will be heading this administration. While democracy gives one the right of speech, it is important how this is put into practice. Using such words as 'herds' 'freaks' and the colonial expression as 'We know more about them from published photo stories in glossy journals from abroad'; We have not moved an inch since 1947 have we? Okay Sir the administration since last kumbh had 144 years of which 65 years was our very own. What was done by the administration for the 'health risks'. We have 144 next please do ask your own folks #The IAS# to plan for better adminstration. Let me watch in my next rebirth. I wonder how a realty like Kumbh can be a myth.
Perhaps Mr Sundaram should have read the below quote of Mark Twain,
may be then his contempt & use of objectional language about devout
Hindus could have been avoided.Disgusting articles as usual from the
Columnists of The Hindu !
After visiting the Kumbh Mela of 1895, Mark Twain wrote:
“ It is wonderful, the power of a faith like that, that can make
multitudes upon multitudes of the old and weak and the young and frail
enter without hesitation or complaint upon such incredible journeys
and endure the resultant miseries without repining. It is done in
love, or it is done in fear; I do not know which it is. No matter what
the impulse is, the act born of it is beyond imagination, marvelous to
our kind of people, the cold whites.
Please Email the Editor