February 27, New Delhi Following the successful conclusion of the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India must now “unite and come together for the Maha Yagya of a Viksit Bharat.”
In his blog post on Maha Kumbh, he expressed gratitude to the Center, the state administration, and the Prayagraj residents for their unwavering service to the nation’s devotees during this major event that takes place once every 144 years.
The Prime Minister writes:
“The Maha Yagya of oneness has ended, as has Maha Kumbh. As shown by the Maha Kumbh of oneness in Prayagraj since January 13, a similar scene occurs when a nation’s awareness is awakened, when it breaks free from the mentality of hundreds of years of enslavement and begins breathing in the air with a new consciousness.
I talked on patriotism through devotion to God on January 22, 2024, during the Praan Pratishtha event of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. All of the gods and goddesses, saints, mahatmas, children, the elderly, women, and young people congregated during Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh, and we saw the nation’s awareness awaken. Through this one celebration, the faiths of 140 crore people united throughout this Maha Kumbh, which was a Maha Kumbh of togetherness.
Shringverpur, the sacred site of harmony, love, and togetherness where Lord Shri Ram and Nishadraj first met, is also located in this part of the holy city of Prayagraj. Their meeting incidence is comparable to the nexus of harmony and dedication in our history. We are still motivated to maintain peace and togetherness by the Prayagraj pilgrimage.
I have seen the daily influx of thousands of people from all around the nation heading towards the Sangam banks for the last forty-five days. The attitudes around taking a bath at Sangam continued to grow. At Sangam, all devotees were in the mood for the same thing: “Snan” (holy dip). Every devotee felt energized, enthusiastic, and filled with faith as a result of the convergence of Saraswati, Yamuna, and Maa Ganga.
Planning and policy specialists, as well as management professionals of the current period, are now studying this Maha Kumbh event that was place in Prayagraj. There isn’t a comparable example of such a significant occurrence in the whole globe today.
The fact that crores of people congregated on the banks of the river at the Triveni Sangam is a surprise to the whole globe. Neither a formal invitation nor any advance notice of the arrival time had been sent to these crores of individuals. People just went to the Maha Kumbh, where they were blessed by swimming in the sacred Sangam.
Planning and policy specialists, as well as management professionals of the current period, are now studying this Maha Kumbh event that was place in Prayagraj. There isn’t a comparable example of such a significant occurrence in the whole globe today.
The fact that crores of people congregated on the banks of the river at the Triveni Sangam is a surprise to the whole globe. Neither a formal invitation nor any advance notice of the arrival time had been sent to these crores of individuals. People just went to the Maha Kumbh, where they were blessed by swimming in the sacred Sangam.
I will never forget those photos. After taking a bath, their faces were so happy and satisfied that I will never forget them. Everyone, including women, the elderly, and those with disabilities, made every effort to get to Sangam.
And I was very happy to see how many young Indians from today traveled to Prayagraj. The Indian youth’s decision to take part in the Maha Kumbh sends a powerful statement. This reinforces the idea that India’s youth are the future of our culture and values, that they are committed to preserving them, and that they recognize their responsibilities.
This Maha Kumbh has undoubtedly established a new record for the number of people that traveled to Prayagraj. However, we also saw that people who were unable to visit Prayagraj were emotionally invested in this Maha Kumbh. A few drops of the Triveni Tirtha water that those who brought it back from Kumbh brought with them also bestowed the same virtue onto millions of devotees as the Kumbh’snan’. It can never be forgotten how the whole community lowered their heads in honor of the many individuals who were welcomed into each hamlet upon their return from Kumbh.
There has never been anything like this in the last several decades. This has established the groundwork for many millennia to come.
Devotees came in Prayagraj in much more numbers than anticipated. its was due in part to the fact that the administration had likewise based its prediction on the previous Kumbh’s experiences. However, about twice as many Americans took part in the Maha Kumbh of Unity and dipped.
Researchers in the spiritual sector will discover that India, a country proud of its history, is currently advancing with fresh vitality if they examine the fervor of crores of Indians. This, in my opinion, is the sound of an epoch shift that will shape India’s future.
Friends,
For thousands of years, the Maha Kumbh ritual has bolstered India’s sense of national identity. Sages, saints, and people used to discuss the state of society for forty-five days at each Purna Kumbh. The nation and society used to get new rules throughout this upheaval.
Following this, every six years, the Ardha Kumbh revised the rules and regulations.
Considering the times and conditions of the period, the sages and saints also delivered fresh teachings during the Maha Kumbh, which was conducted after 144 years. This year’s full Maha Kumbh, which was hosted after 144 years, has also signaled the start of a new phase in India’s history. ‘Viksit Bharat’ is the message’s source.
Similar to the Maha Kumbh of oneness, all of the devotees—poor or wealthy, young or elderly, from the nation or overseas, from a hamlet or a metropolis, east or west, north or south, of any caste or ideology—came together for a Maha Yagya. For crores of citizens, this iconic image of “one India, great India” became a huge celebration of self-confidence. For the Maha Yagya of a Viksit Bharat, we must now band together in a same manner.
Friends,
I’m also thinking back on the day when Shri Krishna showed Mother Yashoda the cosmos in his mouth when he was a youngster. In a same vein, the world and Indians alike saw the immense manifestation of India’s might in this Maha Kumbh. In order to achieve the goal of a Viksit Bharat, we must now proceed with this self-assurance and commitment.
This is one of India’s powers, and during the Bhakti movement, our saints sparked a national awakening about it. Everyone, whether it was Sri Aurobindo or Vivekananda, had informed us of this. It was during the liberation fight that Gandhiji too came to this realization. India would have been able to overcome the ravages of slavery if we had been aware of its vast strength after gaining independence and had used it to promote the well-being of everyone. But at the time, we were unable to achieve this. I am now content and joyful that the people’s strength is coming together to create a Viksit Bharat.
India’s ancient traditions, from the Vedas to Vivekananda and from the Upanishads to satellites, have molded this country. In addition to paying unwavering respect to our ancestors and sages, I hope that as citizens, we will draw fresh inspiration from this magnificent Kumbh of oneness and make new commitments. Let us adopt the noble chant of unity as our life’s motto and commit to serving God in the service of the country and Shiva in the service of all living things.
Friends,
I verbalized my innermost thoughts when I traveled to Kashi for the elections, saying, “Maa Ganga has called me.” In addition, there was a feeling of obligation to maintain the cleanliness and purity of our mother rivers. My determination has become stronger at the Ganga-Yamuna-Saraswati confluence in Prayagraj. Our entire path is linked to the purity of our rivers, Ganga ji and Yamuna ji. Since every river is a representation of a mother who gives birth, it is our duty to celebrate river festivals whenever it is most convenient for us, regardless of how large or tiny the river is. We are motivated to maintain the cleanliness of our waterways and to keep bolstering this drive by this Maha Kumbh of oneness.
I am aware that planning an event of this magnitude was not simple. I offer prayers to Maa Saraswati, Maa Yamuna, and Maa Ganga. Please pardon us, O Maa, if our worship has been lacking. I also ask the people for pardon if we have failed to serve the devotees, who are God to me.
Friends,
Only the strength of dedication has been able to accomplish the duty of feeding the crores of people who came to Prayag full of devotion and joined this Maha Kumbh of togetherness. As an MP from Uttar Pradesh, I can state with pride that this Maha Kumbh of togetherness was a success thanks to the combined efforts of the government, administration, and people, led by Yogi ji. There was no administrator or ruler, whether it was the state or the center; everyone was a devoted servant. This Maha Kumbh was a success because of the tireless efforts of our sanitation workers, police officers, boatmen, drivers, food chefs, and everyone else. In particular, it is unparalleled how the people of Prayagraj have served the devotees throughout the course of these forty-five days, in spite of several challenges. I would want to thank and congratulate all of the Prayagraj citizens and the people of Uttar Pradesh.
Friends,
My trust in the nation’s bright future has grown significantly after seeing the Maha Kumbh sceneries and experiencing the emotions that first surfaced in my head and have only intensified over the last forty-five days.
It’s incredible how 140 crore people of Prayagraj created the Maha Kumbh of Unity, a significant symbol of the modern world. I shall soon visit Shri Somnath, the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and present my Sankalp Pushp as a sign of devotion and pray for all Indians since I am impressed by their perseverance, hard work, and determination.
On Maha Shivratri, Maha Kumbh’s physical shape was completed. However, I have no doubt that the oneness and spiritual awareness of Maha Kumbh will continue to flow, much like the unbroken flow of Maa Ganga.”
