Maha Kumbh 2025: A galaxy of saints on the sand of Tirtharaj… and a digital avatar of the Satya Yuga with Samudra Manthan

Acharya Maha Mandaleshwar Swami Balakanand Giri of Anand Akhara entering the cantonment. – Photo:primelookindia.com

The Satya Yuga of Samudra Manthan has descended into the digital age of Tirtharaj… As soon as it gets dark, when the lights standing on thousands of pillars on the sand see their reflection in the Ganga, then this area looks like thousands of galaxies woven in the sky. …This is the festival of saints. This is their place for the next one month. Saints are seen everywhere.

A woman from a village in Raebareli is showing Sangam to her sister on a video call. She says – Look at this Ganga Maiyya, quickly say Jai Ganga Maiyya and take a dip at home. The sister bows to Maa Ganga with her eyes closed and here this woman touches the sand on the banks of Sangam to her forehead. The sand on which Maha Kumbh Nagar has been established in 4,000 hectares. The Ganga of rains has shrunk. The entire city has been settled on the banks. There are 600 km long checkered plate roads. There are 30 pontoon bridges joining one end to the other. Lakhs of tents are standing firmly to provide shelter. In 25 sectors of 13 km area, it is as if the Satya Yuga of Samudra Manthan has descended into the digital age of Tirtharaj for a month through AI operated pillars and chat bots. As soon as it gets dark, when the light standing on thousands of pillars on the sand sees its reflection in the Ganga, then this area looks like thousands of galaxies woven in the sky.

Voices are coming from the Akharas on the loudspeakers. Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj, Nij Manu Mukuru Sudhari…. In some camp, a story is being narrated. Somewhere, the story of Arjun is being told, someone is reading the essence of the Gita. And in the meantime, the saints also mention the Kargil war and the soldiers. This is the festival of saints. This is their place for the next one month. Saints are seen everywhere. Some are Brahmachari, some Kotwal, some Pujari, Mahant, Shrimahant, some officials and Mahamandleshwar. Some are wearing saffron, some saffron, some white and some black clothes. Some are bowing down before the Guru, some are prostrating, some bend till the ankles, some just touch the ground in front of the Guru’s feet. Some have tears in their eyes, some are muttering mantras with their with their eyes closed .

The tents have been set up, there is a hurry to finish the remaining work quickly. The sadhus wearing robes are setting up their tents themselves. Nagas are collecting wood to light the bonfire. Some are counting rations, some are counting vehicles. It is like a daughter’s wedding. The reception of the procession is also being done like a daughter’s baraat. As soon as the cantonment is entered, the saints of the already present Akharas are waiting for the procession at their doorstep like the guests. There are several dozen garlands of marigold flowers nearby. And sugar candy, fennel, cloves and cardamom are kept in the plate. When the procession arrives, the band members present in it stop right in front of these sadhus. They play their special tunes, so that the guests give them a little more money. Invitation cards have been distributed to join this procession. The saints who have gone to distribute cards of programs like bhajan, katha, procession are taking camera teams with them. They give invitation cards to the officials of other akhadas and the camera team captures it. However, the saints are capturing every moment on their phones as well. They are making videos on the go. Of the fair. Of the procession. Of the akhadas.

A saint of Juna akhada is sitting under the biggest curtain. A family from Kaushambi, mother-father-son-nephew, a young man doing CFA in Gurugram and some elderly people wearing dhoti and high muddy socks and shoes also come there and sit around the saint. What is sanyaas? Are family and responsibilities better or renunciation? Satsang starts on all the questions. Like every time, this time too many celibate saints will become sadhus in Kumbh, many will be elected Mahamandleshwar and many will get the sanskar of sanyasis for the first time. A 55-year-old man is visiting every madhi of Niranjani akhada and saying Namo Narayan Maharaj ji to every sadhu. He says, this time Guru Maharaj has said that he will make me a Naga too. Sadhu Baba tells him, do bhakti, do tapasya, don’t worry. Every Akhara has a different charm.

The nearby Agni Akhara was the first to start Annakshetra in Kumbh city. Here, a long row is set up in the saffron and white camp. Every day 1000 people eat food in this Annakshetra. The food servers call out – Sabzi Ram… Roti Ram… Daal Ram… Nagas, Sadhus, labourers, devotees and employees sitting together in the row signal to serve in their plates. The row sits together and then gets up after finishing the food together. What is needed in ration and when. Security passes are needed for how many vehicles. How many more toilets and tents will be installed, calculations are going on in the entire area. Policemen are running here and there with countless copies of papers related to security.

Not only police but saints are also roaming around in vehicles with lights. This is the luxury angle of Sanatan. In Kumbh city, most of the vehicles with lights and horns belong to saints, mahants and mahamandleshwars. Mahamandleshwar is travelling in a Fortuner in the front. There are at least 8 more vehicles behind. In terms of richness and splendour, the neck and fingers are adorned with gold weighing several tolas.

Mati stones and Rudraksha are adorned even on the forehead. Some cottages have been built with all facilities and some have eco-friendly huts. They have everything from local decorations to foreign commodes. Many huts are made with barely any grass, bamboo and thick cloth. At some places in the Akhara Lane of Kumbh city, there is a scene like Peepli Live. The cameras of TV channels and YouTubers are mostly at those places where Hatha Yogis are present. Among them, the Baba standing on one leg, the Baba who always keeps one hand raised, the Baba with the longest matted hair are the most famous. People are coming to see them after searching. They see them, take selfies, fold their hands, then according to their capacity, offer them a 10-20-100-50 rupee note and move ahead after taking blessings.

These people include those Kalpavasis who have come to Kumbh with their household for a month. They have brought everything from lota, bucket, mattress, quilt, gas stove to salt, rice and tea leaves in small loading rickshaws. Kumbh Mela does not only mean 13 akhadas, it also means Kalpvas. Apart from 13 akhadas, Dandi Bara, Acharya Bara, Khakchowk or Khalsa, Tirthpurohit Nagar and Kalpvasi ki Nagar also reside in Kumbh Mela.

Here, the wandering sadhus from Haryana are going to every akhada, every madhi and singing their stories. They have drums, dhapli, bells and manjiras in their hands. They have a thick crest tied on their head. They go to every akhada and sing bhajans taking the name of that akhada. The bhajan also has a dialogue between Shiva and Parvati, name of Ram and a prayer that religion should increase in the akhada at whose threshold they are standing. The wandering sadhus sing… she is the king’s royal princess, I am only a loincloth wala…. The sadhus happily give them alms.

Preparations for the first bath are going on in the camp. Chariots are being prepared. Bands are being booked. Acharyas, Mahamandleshwars and officials are holding meetings. Envelopes are being prepared and so are strategies. In the middle of the Akhara, a red-saffron religious flag, visible from several kilometers away, is fluttering. Four cranes have to be used to raise this religious flag made from the trunk of a tree. The trunk is painted saffron. The courtyard where the flag is hoisted is the temple. The deity-guru of the Akhara is in this temple. Guards are posted outside the temple. They are called Kotwal. They have a silver staff in their hands. A Kotwal with beard and moustache goes and stands at the threshold of the temple. Then he says in a loud voice – Listen to Dashnam Guru, Girijanand Saraswati has come from Anand Akhara. Five thousand rupees have been presented to Guru Maharaj. This is the tradition of giving news and updates here.

CRPF jawans are posted at both the gates of every Akhara. They keep an eye on the people coming and going. It is freezing cold. Bonfires are burning everywhere. Soldiers and sadhus are warming their hands together. Police constable Nagendra Kumar is posted in Banda. He says that this is his fourth time on duty at Kumbh. He is retiring after four years, so this time he insisted on being posted at Kumbh.

Next generation of saints and sadhus

Now almost every sadhu has a phone. Apart from a Rudraksha rosary, he has a smart watch. There is an AC and blower in the hut. There is a modular kitchen in the cottage. This is the next generation of saints and sadhus.

Some young saints talk…

Tell me why Sanatan has not grown the most despite being the oldest. His fellow saint standing there answers – because in their religion one does not have to wake up in the morning and take a bath, one can stay without bathing.