It has been a month that the biggest spectacle in the history of mankind concluded on 25 February. Maha Kumbh 2025 has been an incredible and transformational event in the history of independent India. The 45- days long event was easily the world’s largest congregation of devotees, recording more than 66 crore people taking a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the mega event best when he called it a testament to India’s spiritual and national consciousness, which enhanced Bharat’s collective awakening.
I was fortunate to be associated with Maha Kumbh 2025, right from the year 2022, when I assumed the appointment of General Officer Commanding, Madhya Bharat Area. Prayagraj cantonment and military station was under my jurisdiction. Not known to many people in India, a large area of land in the Triveni Sangam area belongs to the Indian Army. Fort Prayagraj which overlooks the Yamuna River, near Sangam area houses an important logistic establishment of Indian Army and famed Akshay Vat is located within the Fort complex. In addition, another two important religious places called Saraswati Koop and Patalpuri are also located within the Fort complex.
A military campaign usually has three phases; first phase is called Preparatory Phase; second phase is called Conduct Phase and the third phase is called Exploitation/Consolidation Phase. In many ways, Maha Kumbh 2025 was similar to an outstanding military campaign, with virtually no parallels. It was unique in many ways and had the hallmark of military precision. The scope, scale, duration, resources applied, employment of technology and human touch was very akin to a war effort. Like any military operation, there were some minor reverses but the event was a glorious success, with monumental legacy for the future generations.
Let us look at the Preparatory Phase of Maha Kumbh 2025. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had visited Akshay Vat in the Fort complex on 16 December 2018. He found that the holy Akshay Vat is not directly accessible to the devotees during the Magh mela and Kumbh mela. At that point of time, he passed instructions to open Akshay Vat to the devotees in the Magh Mela scheduled in January-February 2019. Since the time was short, Army and the civil administration made make-shift arrangements then. But the spirit of Prime Minister’s thought process and essence of his instructions was understood and it took formal shape in the year 2022. After the annual Magh Mela thereafter, the Prayagraj administration carefully studied the crowd pattern and travel/ route arrangements. This is similar to gathering intelligence and information about the enemy, in a military campaign.
Shri Aditya Yogi, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and his dedicated team of officials regularly visited Maha Kumbh site from the year 2022. By that time, COVID-19 pandemic was under control and the civil administration could focus on the preparations for Maha Kumbh. The detailed planning needed a number of presentations and deliberations on the ground. The visualisation of the battle space is key to success in a military campaign. Here, the UP administration utilised the best available professionals, event managers, sanitation experts and security experts. The preparations indeed happened on war footing right from the year 2022 onwards. Earmarking a special Mela district with handpicked officials was another highlight of the preparations.
One notable part of any Preparatory Phase is the mobilisation of resources. In Maha Kumbh 2025, the resources and facilities were top notch. Being an international event, the best resources from all over India were brought to the site. Be it bridges, improving roads, power supply, boats and motor boats, best equipment to clean water, hygiene material etc. to name a few of the resources that were requisitioned for the event. Like any military campaign, it was appreciated that more than 45 crore people would visit the event. That the strength of the visitors crossed 66 crore people and that too was successfully handled, is the testimony of solid preparation for the event.
It was the Conduct Phase that deserves special mention. In Army parlance, it is said that your plan for war goes for a six, the moment first bullet is fired. It means that a military campaign has to focus on the actual combat based on situation on the ground, which keeps changing rapidly. When things do not go as planned, then there is a contingency plan that caters for unforeseen events. But it goes to the credit of Mela Administration that all the events were perfectly coordinated. The crowds swelled to more than 2 crores on many days of the event. On some special Snan days, the crowds touched up to 7 crore people.
Now imagine the density of such a huge mass of humanity, restricted to a maximum of 10 km by 10 km area, in and around Triveni Sangam. With such high density of population cramped in a restricted area, there is a possibility of stampede every day. It is to the credit of Maha Kumbh administration that only one stampede happened in the Triveni Sangam area, over 45 days event. In my opinion, such meticulous conduct of the event would do any Army General proud. On top of it, a major effort was needed to ensure best standards of water, food and material hygiene. Such a dense congregation can lead to outbreak of major health concerns but once again the best standards ensured a foolproof conduct.
A military campaign has very clear laid down aims and objectives. It can be safely said that Maha Kumbh 2025 achieved all the laid down objectives. The mega event united the Sanatanis from the world over. In fact, the Maha Kumbh was hugely successful in linking the youth of the nation with faith and spirituality. All the departments of the central government and UP government, along with multiple agencies could test their skills for a world class event. The event also highlighted that Maha Kumbh 2025 was actually a ‘whole of nation effort’, similar to any military war. In a war, all the citizens unite in their effort to assist their armed forces to fight. Similarly, all the organs of Union of India worked in unison to make Maha Kumbh 2025 a spectacular success. It was also exemplified in Netra Kumbh 2025, in which 1.5 lakh spectacles were distributed free of cost and more than 2.5 lakh people were screened for any eye ailment. Plastic free Maha Kumbh 2025 was another staggering success.
But it is the Exploitation/Consolidation Phase that is most exciting part of Maha Kumbh 2025. In the exploitation phase of a military operations, the gains achieved are actively pursued because the enemy has been defeated. In Maha Kumbh 2025, all the naysayers and negative elements have been comprehensively defeated. In the fitness of things, central government, UP government, other state agencies, management institutions and administrative personnel have discussed and analysed Maha Kumbh 2025 in great detail. The lessons learnt have been documented for even better management of the future events. In this regard, Manthan, an event jointly organised by Panchjanya and Organiser discussed all the facets of this spiritual event threadbare.
As a military man, I think that the biggest lesson and takeaway of Maha Kumbh 2025 is about collective self-discipline of more than 66 crore devotees. My salutations to the people of Prayagraj who endured almost two months of disruption in their daily life, with a smile, for the larger cause of spirituality. Self- discipline is not necessarily considered a trait of most of the Indians. But two nation wide events in the last five years have proved that we Indians have a great sense of self-discipline. First was COVID-19 Pandemic from March 2020 onwards. During the pandemic, Indians exhibited tremendous sense of following the instructions, be it in the lock down or being in long que for the vaccination. Similarly in Maha Kumbh 2025, the devotees exhibited incredible patience to walk long distances, wait for their turn and return back, with absolute adherence to the instructions of police and security personnel.
And yes, a large number of serving and retired military personnel, along with their families visited Maha Kumbh 2025. Indian Army had made special arrangements for their stay and conduct of the visit. A large number of troops and officers known to me shared their beautiful experience of Maha Kumbh 2025. Let me reiterate that majority of our soldiers have rural background and all of them are religiously inclined. Their journey to Prayagraj further strengthened their resolve to defend the nation, at all costs. I am sure that other government and non- government employees would also have witnessed the strength of committed professionals, dedicated in serving selflessly to make the event a memorable one for all the visitors.
To sum up, the planning, preparation, conduct, contingency planning, event management and consolidation of gains in Maha Kumbh 2025 have been extraordinary, to say the least. The event had the hallmark of military precision and excellence in every phase. But the dividends from this spectacular event cannot be measured so quickly. The consolidation of the Indians to act in unison for realising the aspiration of Viksit Bharat @2047 should continue unabated. The mega event has once again highlighted the commitment, passion, dedication, supreme resolve and superlative supervision of Bharat to do the impossible. Many world records have been established in Maha Kumbh 2025 but the biggest record lies in uniting and bonding the 100 crore Sanatanis and the rest of the Indians. Maha Kumbh 2025 has certainly boosted the collective awakening of Bharat and has become the harbinger of national unity and positioning of Bharat as Vishv Guru. Jai Bharat!
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