Feb 4, 2025 17:13 IST
First revealed on: Feb 4, 2025 at 17:13 IST
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Kailash Nath Katju, my grandfather, started writing his autobiography in December 1940. He was in Naini jail on the time, consequent to the Congress determination for its leaders to undertake particular person satyagraha. Within the autobiography, which has remained unpublished, he wrote a paragraph on the Kumbh Mela, which I quote in full as a result of it conveys the emotions of a Hindu who goes to the Sangam as a pilgrim.
“Then the good Kumbh Mela got here on in January 1918. The Kumbh Mela, usually for the previous 1000’s of years, held as soon as in 12 years is a really particular, solemn and sacred celebration within the month of Magh (January) and attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. The sight on the Triveni grounds is a superb one and galvanizing too. You see Hinduism in motion, so to say. Pilgrims drawn from throughout Northern India flock to the sacred confluence and for a complete month, lakhs of individuals dwell underneath canvas or underneath thatched huts. The Mela — the Kumbh — is a really historic establishment, and the Chinese language traveller mentions one… he was current at, within the 12 months 638 AD or nearabout — a very grand one — during which the then emperor, Harshavardhana gave away in items and alms all his gathered treasures price 120 million of rupees and the clothes he was sporting. Verily and actually is the good Prayag Raj referred to as the ‘Dandbhumi’ and ‘Tyagbhumi’ of India. After I go to the sacred Triveni, my thoughts goes into raptures and travels again to the ages and ages throughout which the sacred rivers have drawn numerous hundreds of thousands of Hindus, as if by a magnet to their sacred waters. I hope and belief the Indian individuals will ever proceed to be impressed by the life-giving waters of those rivers so holy in our lengthy historical past.”
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In 1918, grandfather was 31 years previous. Within the many years that adopted, he achieved nice distinction within the authorized career and took part within the freedom motion as a trustworthy follower of Gandhi ji. After Independence, he occupied a few of the nation’s highest political workplaces. He returned to his karmabhumi, Allahabad (now Prayagraj), in 1962, from Bhopal the place he was Madhya Pradesh’s chief minister; he misplaced his seat within the elections held that 12 months. 4 years later got here the 1966 Kumbh Mela; he was 78 years previous, affected by quite a few illnesses. On the morning of a minor “nahan” day, his driver got here to me and stated: “Babu ji goes to the Sangam and he has stated that you’ll accompany him”. I used to be 14 years previous.
Our automobile was stopped on the first automobile park. From there, it was over three kilometres to the Sangam. Grandfather and grandson, together with the opposite lakhs of pilgrims, made their solution to the Triveni. On the way in which to and after a dip within the life-giving waters of the Sangam, all the way in which again to the automobile, grandfather associated to me the historical past of the what he referred to as the “Hindu race”, of Kumbh Melas and of India. The multitudes within the Mela grounds, the overwhelming variety of whom have been clad in dhotis and saris, have been inspiring him and thru his phrases, he clearly needed me, his youngest paternal grandson, to realize the unchanging conviction that these have been his personal individuals, that he mustn’t ever take into account himself distinct from them and should all the time serve their pursuits. Two years later, grandfather was gone however the reminiscence of that go to to the Sangam and grandfather’s phrases have all the time remained with me.
India has metamorphosed within the many years for the reason that 1966 Kumbh — so has the Kumbh Mela. It might be a pilgrimage for crores of religious Hindus nonetheless however additionally it is part of the federal government’s imaginative and prescient of selling non secular tourism. This was the primary Kumbh Mela organised underneath the ruling dispensation which is in energy each in Delhi and Lucknow. It could subsequently be acceptable to look at the connection between pilgrimage or (Tirth) and spiritual tourism. That the Narendra Modi authorities is dedicated to enhancing non secular tourism is borne out by the Ministry of Tourism’s account of the PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Religious Augmentation Drive) scheme. The Ministry states that the “This scheme focuses on creating and figuring out pilgrimage websites throughout India for enriching the non secular tourism expertise. It goals to combine pilgrimage locations in a prioritised, deliberate and sustainable method to offer a whole non secular tourism expertise. The expansion of home tourism massively will depend on pilgrimage tourism”.
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There will be no quarrel with the federal government’s goal of enhancing amenities, together with entry, communications, sanitation and well being, on the sacred locations of all of the individuals of India. There’s additionally no downside with the federal government incurring expenditure in aiding the organisation of such events such because the Kumbh. Certainly, it’s the responsibility of the federal government to make sure the upkeep of regulation and order and the orderly conduct of such non secular occasions in cooperation with religious and spiritual leaders. The issue arises when the ideas of pilgrimage and tourism are combined collectively. Why?
The thing of pilgrimage is religious and a pilgrim undertakes its rigours for, as grandfather famous, “sacred” functions. Certainly, it may be asserted that if a pilgrim seeks to bypass, by means of his cash or official energy, the difficulties which an abnormal pilgrim experiences, then he isn’t a pilgrim in any respect. At these locations and earlier than a deity in a temple, there needs to be no discrimination on any account. Thus, the follow of designated locations within the Mela floor for officers and the wealthy — because it was accomplished on this Kumbh Mela however started on a smaller foundation earlier — goes in opposition to the grain of pilgrimage and is a part of a tourism whose goal is revenue.
The information coming from this Kumbh Mela is that it promoted non secular tourism in a giant manner. This was proper from tent cities the place the price of a tent went as much as 1000’s of rupees per day to meals courts the place pizza retailers belonging to worldwide manufacturers and well-known espresso retailers have been current for the properly healed. They may not clearly tolerate the normal fare which has been out there on the Kumbh Mela for hundreds of years.
The actual fact is that Hindu pilgrimage and spiritual tourism are oil and water.
The author is a former diplomat
