Indian Ink | Mahakumbh 2025: Triumph Of Hindu And Human Unity
The 2025 Mahakumbh offers a powerful counter-narrative to divisive ideologies—a living demonstration that equality and fraternity can manifest on an unprecedented scale when rooted in shared spiritual values
They came from everywhere, the millions upon millions of pilgrims who flocked to the Mahakumbh 2025 for the holy dip. They braved all kinds of hardships and inconveniences without complaining. They slept on the streets or the riverbanks. They managed calls of nature or physical necessities somehow. They walked miles, carrying children and belongings on their backs. But they never complained. Rather they had an expression of unearthly joy and inspired devotion on their faces. I was at the Mahakumbh for three nights and four days. It was an experience of a lifetime.
The 2025 Mahakumbh Mela, which concluded on Mahashivaratri (February 26), will be remembered as the largest peaceful gathering in human history. With an estimated 600 million pilgrims having participated over its 45-day duration, the event’s scale alone stands as a remarkable testament to human organisation and shared faith. Yet, amid this extraordinary achievement, detractors were quick to highlight isolated incidents while overlooking the event’s monumental successes and profound social significance.
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The critics, with their carping negativity, sought to defame India and Hindus by equating the Mahakumbh with superstition. Then they brought in science too. They said the water was dirty, so it was a health hazard to take the dip. They also pointed to the stampede which killed at least 30 and injured over 100. All this and much more could be said about the dangers and distress of the Mahakumbh.
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True, the tragedy of any loss of life cannot be minimised. However, when placed in perspective—an event hosting hundreds of millions with a fatality rate lower than many ordinary city gatherings worldwide—the Mahakumbh’s safety record represents a logistical triumph rather than a failure. The administration’s ability to contain such incidents to isolated occurrences in a sea of humanity speaks volumes about the organizational acumen behind the event.
What critics consistently failed to acknowledge were the extraordinary arrangements that made this massive gathering possible. The temporary city created at Prayagraj featured comprehensive infrastructure: thousands of acres of tented accommodations, kilometres of temporary roads, bridges spanning the rivers, electricity grids powering everything from streetlights to hospitals, and water distribution systems serving millions daily.
Particularly noteworthy was the cleanliness maintained throughout the event. Despite millions bathing and camping along the riverbanks daily, sanitation teams worked around the clock to collect waste, clean bathing ghats, and maintain public hygiene. Water quality was continuously monitored, with treatment systems deployed to ensure pilgrim safety. The waste management systems handled hundreds of tons of garbage daily, with remarkable efficiency.
The Mahakumbh administration’s use of technology deserves special mention—from crowd monitoring using AI and drone surveillance to digital lost-and-found services reuniting thousands of separated families. Mobile applications guiding pilgrims to less congested bathing spots helped distribute crowds efficiently, preventing numerous potential incidents.
Most importantly, the critics of the Mahakumbh ignored the devotion and dedication of the masses that had drawn them from all corners of India and abroad to an event of this magnitude. Beyond administrative success, Mahakumbh’s greatest achievement was something no statistic can adequately capture: its demonstration of unity transcending India’s supposed fault lines. For 45 days, a microcosm of India’s diversity converged at the Sangam, dissolving barriers that critics often claim render Indian unity impossible.
The Mahakumbh gave a resounding rebuttal to “Breaking India" forces. It demonstrated that all Hindus—all Indians—are one, regardless of caste, community, region, or language. Everyone commingled peacefully and amicably in this grand festival and spectacle of humanity. I can personally vouch that when it came to the sacred immersion, no one asked who I was, where I was from, or what my caste was. This is an illustration of equality and fraternity on a scale seldom witnessed on planet Earth. That it is a Hindu festival must thus be celebrated rather than denigrated.
The gathering exemplified a natural, unforced equality where pilgrims shared food, space, and spiritual experiences without regard for social divisions. Villagers from Tamil Nadu bathed alongside urbanites from Punjab; sadhus exchanged blessings with corporate executives; elderly women guided youth through rituals—all without concern for who belonged where in India’s complex social matrix.
This spontaneous brotherhood effectively countered those political narratives that emphasise and exploit India’s internal divisions. The Mahakumbh demonstrated that Sanatana Dharma’s universalism creates spaces where unity emerges naturally, not through enforced homogeneity but through celebration of shared spiritual heritage. This great gathering of devotees deserves celebration rather than denigration precisely because it showcased Hinduism’s capacity to accommodate diversity while maintaining coherence. The criticism directed at it often reflects not genuine concern for pilgrim welfare but discomfort with the visible vitality of a tradition some had prematurely consigned to irrelevance.
The event proved that religion, when expressed through inclusive traditional frameworks, can still serve as a powerful cohesive force in modern society. It demonstrated that spiritual gatherings can simultaneously honour ancient practices while employing cutting-edge technology and management techniques.
As the temporary city at Prayagraj is dismantled and the rivers reclaim their banks, what remains is more than memories of an impressive spectacle. The 2025 Mahakumbh leaves behind a powerful counter-narrative to divisive ideologies—a living demonstration that equality and fraternity can manifest on an unprecedented scale when rooted in shared spiritual values. That this demonstration emerged from a Hindu festival is not incidental but essential to understanding its significance in our fractured times.
Kudos to Yogi Adityanath and the entire team of the state and central governments who pulled off this great triumph of devotion and unity. Not only for Hindus exclusively, but for all humanity.
The writer is an author, columnist, and former Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Study. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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