NEW DELHI: The Maha Kumbh has successfully concluded in the holy city of Prayagraj. During this mega event, which began on January 13, saints, women, children, youth, senior citizens and people from all walks of life came together. We witnessed the awakened consciousness of the nation. This was Ekta ka Maha Kumbh, where the sentiments of 140 crore Indians converged on one place for a sacred occasion.
For 45 days, I witnessed crores of people making their way to the Sangam. The wave of emotions at the confluence kept rising. Every devotee came with one purpose taking a dip in the Sangam. The holy confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati filled every pilgrim with enthusiasm, energy, and confidence.
This Maha Kumbh is a subject of study for modern management professionals and policy experts. Nowhere else in the world can one find a parallel or example of this scale.
The world watched in wonder how crores of people gathered at Prayagraj. These people had no formal invitations, no prior communication. Yet crores of people felt the bliss of taking a dip in the sacred waters.
I cannot forget those faces radiating immense joy and satisfaction after the holy dip. Women, elders, our divyang brothers and sisters everyone found a way to reach the Sangam.
It was particularly heartening for me to see the overwhelming participation of India’s youth. This sends a profound message that the youth will be the torchbearers of our glorious culture and heritage.
Crores of others who could not reach Prayagraj were also emotionally connected to the occasion. The sacred water brought back by pilgrims became a source of spiritual bliss for millions. What has happened in the last few weeks is unprecedented and has laid a foundation for centuries to come.
More devotees arrived in Prayagraj than anyone had imagined. Nearly twice the population of the US participated in this Ekta ka Maha Kumbh.
India is now surging ahead with a newfound energy. I believe this is the dawn of a new era, which will script the future of a new India. After 144 years, in this Maha Kumbh, our saints have once again given us a new message for India’s development journey. That message is developed India — Viksit Bharat.
Now, we must come together in the same spirit for the mission of building a developed India. I am reminded of the incident where, as a little boy, Shri Krishna revealed a snapshot of the whole universe in his mouth to his mother Yashoda. Similarly, in this Maha Kumbh, the people of India and the world witnessed the massive potential of India’s collective strength. We must now move forward with this self-confidence and dedicate ourselves towards building a developed India.
Earlier, the saints of the Bhakti movement had identified and encouraged the strength of our collective resolve. Even Mahatma Gandhi experienced it during the freedom movement. Post-Independence, if this collective strength had been correctly recognised and harnessed towards boosting the welfare of all, it would have become a great force for a newly independent nation. Unfortunately, it was not done earlier. But now, I am glad to witness the way in which this collective strength of the people is coming together for a developed India.
Let us make unity our guiding principle. Let us work with the understanding that service to the nation is service to the divine.
I know that organising such a massive event was no easy task. I seek forgiveness in case there were any shortcomings in our devotion and in serving the people. As a Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh, I can proudly say that under the leadership of Yogi ji, the administration and the people worked together to make this Ekta ka Maha Kumbh a success. Sanitation workers, police, boatmen, drivers, people serving food — everyone worked tirelessly. I express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to them and the people of Uttar Pradesh.
The way 140 crore Indians turned the Ekta ka Maha Kumbh into a global occasion is truly wonderful. I will soon visit Shri Somnath, the first among the 12 Jyotirlingas, to pray for every Indian.