Lucknow / Prayagraj: The seamless arrangements and religious promotion policies of the Yogi government made this year’s Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj a grand success, attracting not only devotees from across India but also a large number of NRIs from countries like Canada, Mauritius, Australia, the USA, and Russia. Many of them came to perform rituals for the salvation of their ancestors, seeking blessings at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati.
With thousands of devotees performing ancestral rituals for up to seven or eight generations, the Prayagwals, Brahmins, purohits, and pandas of Prayagraj saw an unprecedented surge in work, earning more than what they would in an entire year during just the Maha Kumbh period. Due to the sudden increase in NRI visitors, long queues of devotees were seen at the city’s ghats, waiting for priests to conduct traditional rituals.
Recognizing their vital role, the Yogi government not only enhanced facilities for devotees but also ensured proper arrangements for priests and pandits, further boosting their enthusiasm.
Pandit Mahendra Nath Sharma, a priest at the Sangam Ghat in Prayagraj, shared that the sudden increase in NRIs visiting Mahakumbh to perform rituals for their ancestors created significant employment opportunities. Many Indian expatriates from Canada, Mauritius, Australia, the USA, and Russia arrived in Prayagraj to offer prayers for their ancestors’ salvation and take a holy dip in the Ganga. Several devotees also brought the ashes of their ancestors for immersion, following traditional rituals. To accommodate the large number of pilgrims, priests hired assistants and clerks, providing them with steady employment throughout the festival.
During the Mahakumbh, long queues of devotees lined up at the ghats, waiting for Brahmins, purohits, and pandas to conduct religious rituals like pind daan and tarpan. According to Prayagwal Subrahmanyam Shastri (Chariji), the continuous development efforts by the Yogi government impressed both locals and NRIs, creating a sense of enthusiasm and pride.
Pilgrims from across India, including Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana, participated in the Mahakumbh. The event saw well-organized teamwork among priests to ensure a smooth experience for devotees. Brahmin Pankaj Pandey mentioned that priests not only conducted rituals with full dedication but also received generous donations and dakshinas, leading to a rise in their overall income.
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