Maha Kumbh Mela: Triumph of Hinduism despite tragic incidents

Maha Kumbh Mela: Triumph of Hinduism despite tragic incidents

Prayagraj, Indien - In India, the huge Hindu pilgrimage festival "Maha Kumbh Mela" in the state of Uttar Pradesh ended on Wednesday, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally arrived. The festival, which takes place every twelve years, attracted more than 500 million participants this year. Despite the impressive figures, the festival was in the shade of two tragic incidents, about which both kathpress.at and the BBC reported. On January 29, at least 30 people were killed in a mass panic, while in mid-February 18 more people died at the new Delhi main train station, trying to get to the final ceremonies in Prayagraj in good time.

The "Maha Kumbh Mela" has an immense religious meaning, since believers believe that ritual bathrooms are cleaned in the aisle of sins and gain spiritual strength. The festivities were particularly important this year because they combined with a rare astrological constellation that only occurs every 144 years. Hindus believe that this constellation brings enlightenment and transformation. The authorities had prepared to receive millions of pilgrims and tourists, with a huge tent camp of 4,000 hectares, which provided over 160,000 tents for visitors, as reported by the BBC and Kathpress.at.

preparation and challenges

The organizers faced numerous challenges. Due to the late decline in the monsoon floods, the authorities needed more time to build the infrastructure. Nevertheless, an administrative officer explained that the preparations were almost complete and that all systems are available to receive visitors. Despite these preparations, some pilgrims reported inadequate facilities and hygienic conditions on the site. The Indian government invested around 70 billion rupees (about $ 812 million), while the expected income is estimated on 250 billion rupees, which illustrates the significant economic dimension of this more than 45 day.