The 2025 Kumbh Mela has obviously been the most broadcasted and now millions more know that Mauni Amavasya draws the biggest crowd – 76 million this year and that too because of the very unfortunate loss of thirty lives at the start of the day. Laurene Powell Jobs also attended the mega festival just like her late husband who turns 70 today did at Haridwar back in 1974. He no doubt hoped to see the rockstar of the only book he kept on his iPad there just like Sri Yukteswar and Lahiri Mahasaya did decades earlier.
The mind-boggling numbers aside the Kumbh Mela is above all the most profound spiritual experience many will have in their entire lives. And the fastest increase in their wisdom given the unimaginable variety of teachers that have been present during the 40-odd days of the fair. Some of these teachers have come straight from forests and caves in the Himalayas to take a dip in the river and share with the multitude what their sometimes decades-long introspections have taught them.
Finally some elated foreigners have said that India should invite the whole world to the Kumbh Mela. Given that one out of every thirteen humans would have been in Prayagraj in 2025 Yogi Adityanath better start dredging the river again soon.
Sanjay Jagatsingh