Hundreds of millions of Hindus are expected to gather in the world’s largest human gathering this week, with an astonishing number of devotees, tourists, politicians and celebrities taking holy dips at the confluence of India’s two holy rivers. go swimming.
This religious festival, called Maha Kumbh Mela, is held every 12 years on the banks of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj. This year, authorities expect up to 400 million people – more than the population of the United States – to visit sites in Uttar Pradesh over the next six weeks.
An important exhibition of Hinduism, the event has become a significant political event in recent times due to the rise of Hindu nationalism supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing party. It’s also a massive logistics operation for government officials working to prevent incidents such as stampede and spread of disease.
What is Maha Kumbh Mela?
Maha Kumbh Mela, which means “Great Festival of the Sacred Thrower,” is the world’s largest religious ceremony. This centuries-old ritual, based on a Hindu legend in which demons and gods compete over a pitcher containing the nectar of immortality, centers on a series of sacred baths that Hindus claim cleanse their sins.
In front of the sacred baths is a procession of people riding in ornate chariots, brandishing ceremonial spears, tridents, and swords, wearing lively costumes, singing and dancing. . People from all over India and the world travel to the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers to participate. This sacred place is also said to be the terminus of the mythical third river Saraswati.
The timing of the festival, which ends on February 26 this year, is based on the astrological alignment of the Sun, Moon and Jupiter, which take about 12 years to complete one orbit around the Sun. A smaller version of this festival is held approximately every three years in one of India’s three other cities: Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain.
How big is the festival?
The scale of Maha Kumbh Mela is astonishing. According to government estimates, 120 million people flocked to Prayagraj last time in 2013. The 2019 Midterm Festival attracted 240 million people, although it was not particularly religiously important.
The city of about 6 million residents is preparing to welcome 300 million to 400 million people this year, officials said. In preparation, the state built temporary campsites on a 10,000-acre area with tens of thousands of tents and restrooms, roads, parking lots, water and electricity infrastructure, and thousands of security cameras and drones.
Many of these preparations, which are likely to be the most expensive Maha Kumbh Mela ever at around $800 million, will prevent the deadly stampede and disease outbreaks that have occurred at previous festivals. The purpose is to The event is expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue for the state government, officials said.
The government has also set up sandbag platforms along an 11-mile stretch of the Ganges riverbank to accommodate beachgoers. On Monday and Tuesday, millions of pilgrims climbed its steps and poured into the river in the chilly morning mist, praying for happiness, health and prosperity.
What is the significance of today’s festival?
The Maha Kumbh Mela has always been an important symbol of Hinduism, but it was not usually politicized until the recent rise of the idea of India as a Hindu nation. This year’s festival will be the first since Mr. Modi’s Hindu nationalist party, the BJP, became the country’s ruling party 11 years ago.
“It will be interesting to see whether Prime Minister Modi steps down,” said Arati Jealous, a political analyst in New Delhi. “Now would be the biggest and most auspicious time to take a dip in the Ganges.”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and hardline Hindu cleric Yogi Adityanath changed the name of the festival’s host city from Allahabad to Prayagraj in 2018. The move is part of a wave of changes brought about by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which replaced Muslim names given by the 16th-century Mughal emperor Akbar with those referring to Hindu pilgrimage sites.
During India’s 2019 general elections, the Kumbh Mela presented Mr. Modi and his party with a huge political opportunity to reach a receptive audience of millions. Mr. Modi won that election.
The next general election is scheduled for even further away this time, in 2029. But Mr. Modi, who narrowly won despite his party’s defeat in last year’s polls, claimed to be the embodiment of this by featuring himself on posters promoting the nationwide festival. of “India’s Enduring Spiritual Heritage” social medialinking this spiritual event with the country’s national identity.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party wants to use this to solidify its base of Hindu nationalism,” Jeeras said. But he added that it was unclear whether that would necessarily increase the party’s votes. “I don’t know if it will work or not, but it will certainly help us move a step closer to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s goal of turning India into a Hindu-majority state.”