Has the Kumbh Mela ended?

March 04, 2025

The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 eneded on 26 February 2025. At the end of Maha Kumbh 2025, UP CM cleaned the venue with broom, gave financial rewards to sanitary workers and police personnel. This is a perfect way to end this mega religious event.

People did not spent a single rupee on food. Kumbh Mela was brimming with stalls and groups feeding millions (literally) of people, at no cost. From Khichuri to Idli-Dosa, Sabji -Poori to tea - Almond Milk, people are beseeching others to accept meals from them. These groups would catch hold of pilgrims and implore them to have meal at their stall. They don't charge a single penny; but frown if someone offers to contribute any financial donation. The food is not just tasty, but highly hygienic and healthy (Fried food is not 'considered' unhealthy here ). On the last day of Kumbh Mela, when about 100 million pilgrims were present in the city, there were stalls to feed even more.

If you ask them direction, they'd give you a cup of tea with the response; if the tired you sit under shade, they'd bring a plate full of snacks; one has to negotiate to not to take food from them. Locals have organised Bhandaras (food distribution), chabeels (beverage distribution), have opened their homes in the city side for the pilgrims to use washroom for free, have extended electricity connection to roadside so that pilgrims may charge their phones.

All this, generally, follows cleaning the area by the authorities and the locals; which is a relatively recent phenomenon that we witness in this area. Which prevailing economic model framed through western lens would explain this? There is no compulsion or pressure from the state to organise these services; everything is completely voluntary, and motivated by Dharma and spiritual inclinations. People from all classes and castes and backgrounds volunteer for this.

People saw a jeweller, an industrialist, a manual labourer, a film producer and a political worker--all volunteering together; washing dishes, cutting vegetables, cooking and serving meals, in rotation. No capital gain would follow this service. Volunteers have come from places, taking off from work, by spending their own money, to prepare food from their own resources and serving by their own hands, without any monetary expectation.

All that may be said is that the gain they seek can't be deposited in account maintained by recognised banking systems. Undoubtedly, there at several crooked ones who wish to profit from the situation and rise in demand; but the general trend remained positive. Those who say (we call them librandµs) communism is India's saviour, they have missed the complete picture of Indian mind; and those who say capitalism is India's path to flourish, they too have missed the way. India has a unique understanding, which shapes her systems, including economics.

There are lot of reports that 65-66 crore people came to Maha Kumbh Mela. How it was recorded? There are reports that UP state government spent Rs 7500 crore money on this mega religious event and the state will benefit to the tune of Rs 3.5 lakh crore. These data and reports may be true or wild figures, the fact of the matter is India is drifting away from the leftists, communists and the librandµs who mock Hindu religious festivals and customs. When the next Kumbh Mela will happen at Prayagraj after 12 years, these librandµs will be even less relevant.