Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav’s attempt to discredit the significance of the upcoming Mahakumbh 2025, by calling the claim of its occurrence after 144 years a “lie” in the Lok Sabha, has sparked faced backlash. However, a closer examination of Sanatan Dharma, astrological calculations, and historical records unequivocally proves that Yadav’s assertion is not just misleading but an outright dismissal of facts.
Decoding the 144-Year Mahakumbh Cycle
The Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, follows a strict astronomical cycle based on planetary movements. The Mahakumbh Mela, the grandest of all Kumbh gatherings, takes place at Prayagraj (Allahabad) only once in 144 years. This is not a political narrative but a time-tested Sanatan Dharma based on celestial alignments.
The Kumbh Mela is determined by the relative positions of Brihaspati (Jupiter), Surya (Sun), and Chandra (Moon) in specific zodiac signs. The different Kumbh cycles include:
- Mahakumbh Mela (144 years): The rarest and most significant Kumbh, held only in Prayagraj.
- Purna Kumbh Mela (12 years): Held in Prayagraj based on Jupiter’s position in Aries.
- Ardh Kumbh Mela (6 years): Occurs at Prayagraj and Haridwar.
- Kumbh Mela (3 years): Takes place alternately at Ujjain, Nashik, Haridwar, and Prayagraj.
The last Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj was held in 1881. This is a documented historical fact. By the astrological calculations that govern Kumbh timings, 2025 marks exactly 144 years since the last Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, making the claim indisputable.
Historical Significance of Kumbh Mela
The Mahakumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, has begun in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. The congregation holds immense importance for Hindu devotees, who flock to the city for a holy dip at the Sangam.
The history of the Kumbh Mela can be traced back to the eighth-century Hindu philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, who encouraged regular assemblies of spiritual leaders and ascetics. He also introduced the monastery system and the 13 akharas, groups of warrior-class monks and seers.
As per Hindu Belief, the origin of the Kumbh Melas is linked to Samudra Manthan or the churning of the cosmic ocean, when deities and demons came together to attain amrit, or the nectar of immortality.
Hindu legends say that Bhagwan Vishnu, disguised as Mohini, took the pot of amrit after the churning of the ocean to protect it from demons. A battle broke out, leading to drops of the nectar falling at four sites — Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. These places house four Tirthas or holy sites, and a dip in the rivers flowing through them — River Kshipra in Ujjain, Nashik’s Godavari, Ganga in Haridwar, and Sangam at Prayagraj — is believed to grant salvation.
Akhilesh Yadav’s statement dismissing the 144-year claim as a “lie” is either a display of ignorance or a deliberate attempt to mislead the people for political gains. His argument falls flat for several reasons:
Historical Precedent Proves the 144-Year Cycle: The 1881 Mahakumbh at Prayagraj is well-documented. The next one is due in 2025. This calculation is based on centuries-old Hindu astrological traditions and not BJP propaganda.
Astrological Science Confirms It: The Kumbh is not scheduled arbitrarily but follows precise celestial calculations. If Akhilesh Yadav challenges the 144-year claim, he is effectively questioning the entire system of Kumbh Mela timings that have been followed for ages.
Selective Skepticism: If Yadav dismisses the 144-year cycle, why hasn’t he questioned the 12-year and 6-year cycles of Kumbh Mela? This selective targeting exposes his anti-Hindu political agenda rather than a genuine concern for factual accuracy.
Ignoring Spiritual and Cultural Legacy: The Mahakumbh is not just a religious festival but a cornerstone of Bharat’s spiritual identity. By questioning its legitimacy, Yadav insults millions of devotees and the revered Akharas who have upheld this tradition for centuries.
Contradicting Established Scholarship: Numerous Hindu scholars, astrologers, and religious leaders have affirmed the 144-year Mahakumbh cycle. By branding it a lie, Akhilesh Yadav disregards the knowledge of experts and centuries of scriptural evidence.
Past Participation of Samajwadi Party: The irony is that during SP’s tenure in Uttar Pradesh, the same Kumbh cycles were accepted without dispute. Yadav’s sudden rejection of the 144-year Mahakumbh cycle reeks of political hypocrisy.
Seizing upon these logistical challenges, Akhilesh Yadav launched a politically motivated attack against the Uttar Pradesh government, calling the situation a “failure.” He tweeted: “The hungry, thirsty, distressed and tired pilgrims stuck in traffic jams should be looked at with a humane perspective. Are common devotees not human beings?”
As millions of devotees continue to descend on Prayagraj to attend the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela, reports of severe traffic jams have surfaced, causing delays for pilgrims attempting to reach the Triveni Sangam for the holy dip. The Prayagraj Sangam railway station has been temporarily closed till February 14 due to the overwhelming crowd.
However, the reality is that large-scale religious gatherings naturally require logistical adjustments, and the Yogi Adityanath government has been actively working to manage the surge of pilgrims.
On February 9, hundreds of vehicles queued up on the Sangam road, moving at a snail’s pace due to police barricades placed for crowd control. The North Central Railway has implemented a single-direction traffic system at Prayagraj Junction to manage the heavy rush. Yet, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw dismissed claims that the station was shut down, clarifying that 12.5 lakh pilgrims had been transported smoothly, with over 330 trains departing from the Mahakumbh area stations.
Despite these efforts, Akhilesh Yadav continued his unfounded attacks, suggesting that “vehicles should be made toll-free in UP,” arguing that if movies could be made tax-free, then pilgrim transportation should be toll-free too. This populist rhetoric ignores the reality of infrastructure costs associated with organising a religious event of such magnitude.
The Mahakumbh is not just a religious festival but a spiritual, cultural, and economic event that brings millions of devotees, saints, and spiritual leaders from across the globe. The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government is making elaborate preparations to ensure a well-organised and grand Mahakumbh, which will significantly boost religious tourism and the local economy.
The scale of Mahakumbh 2025 is unprecedented, as the government invested in massive infrastructure projects, enhanced security, and developed world-class facilities to accommodate a large number of pilgrims. Mahakumbh has also drawn attention globally, as a large number of tourists from foreign countries visited the Sangam Triveni and hailed the arrangements. Mahakumbh has showcased to the world Sanatan Dharma’s deep-rooted traditions.
Locals and sants who have been attending Kumbh for decades vividly recall the tragic stampede at Allahabad Railway Station during the 2013 Mahakumbh, which became a glaring example of administrative apathy. A retired 62-year-old police officer who was present at Sangam during the unfortunate incident shared, “The Purna Kumbh stampede of 2013 at Allahabad’s railway station marked a dark chapter in the history of the revered festival. Over 36 people lost their lives, and many others were injured due to gross mismanagement and negligence by the then Samajwadi Party Government. Despite the massive influx of pilgrims during the auspicious Mauni Amavasya, arrangements for crowd control, public safety, and emergency response were glaringly inadequate.”
Sants and locals alike pointed out that the Samajwadi Party Government seemed indifferent to the significance of Kumbh as a spiritual and cultural event. “For them, Kumbh was just another gathering,” remarked a senior seer at the Sangam. He added, “They failed to recognise the global importance of this festival and its potential to elevate the Sanatan Dharma’s image on the world stage.”
In sharp contrast to the previous Governments, the current administration has embraced the Mahakumbh with unmatched enthusiasm and diligence. The seamless integration of modern technologies like AI-powered surveillance, underwater drones, and digital crowd management systems demonstrates a forward-looking approach to managing such a colossal event.
With the meticulous preparations for Mahakumbh 2025, the Yogi Adityanath Government is trying to set a benchmark in blending spirituality with modernisation. From AI-powered surveillance to high-priority sanitation protocols, and from digital connectivity to empowering the local economy, every facet of this grand event demonstrates unparalleled preparation and inclusivity.
