The Mahakumbh
has successfully concluded in the holy city of Prayagraj. A grandMahayajna of
Unity has been completed. When the consciousness of a nation awakens, when it
breaks free from the shackles of a centuries-old mindset of subjugation, it breathes
freely in the fresh air of renewed energy. The result of this was witnessed at
the EktaKaMahakumbh (Mahakumbh of Unity)in Prayagraj since January 13.
On January
22, 2024, during the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, I spoke
about Devbhaktiand Deshbhakti -devotion to the divine and to the nation. During
the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, Gods and Goddesses, saints, women, children, youth,
senior citizens and people from all walks of lifecame together.We witnessed the
awakened consciousness of the nation. This was EktaKaMahakumbh, where the sentiments
of 140 crore Indians converged at the same place, at the same time, for this sacred
occasion.
In this holy
region of PrayagrajisShringverpur, a sacred land of unity, harmony and love,
where PrabhuShri Ram and Nishadraj met. Their meeting symbolized the confluence
of devotion and goodwill. Even today, Prayagraj inspires us with the same
spirit.
For 45
days, I witnessed crores of people from every corner of the country making
their way to the Sangam. The wave of emotions at the confluence kept rising.
Every devotee came with one purpose – taking a dip in the Sangam. The holy
confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati filled every pilgrim with
enthusiasm, energy, and confidence.
This Mahakumbh
in Prayagrajis a subject of study for modern management professionals,
planning, and policy experts. Nowhere in the world is there any parallelor
example of this scale.
The world watched
in wonder how crores of people gathered at Prayagraj at the banks of the
confluence of rivers. These people had no formal invitations, no prior
communication on when to go.Yet crores of people left for the Mahakumbh of
their own accord andfelt the bliss of taking a dip in the sacred waters.
I cannot
forget those faces radiating immense joy and satisfaction after the holy dip.
Women, elders, our Divyang brothers and sisters – everyone found a way to reach
the Sangam.
Itwas
particularly heartening for me to see the overwhelming participation of India's
youth. The presence of the younger generation at theMahakumbhsends a profound
messagethat the youth of India will be the torchbearers of our glorious culture
and heritage. They understand their responsibility towards preserving it and
arecommitted to carrying it forward.
The number
of people who arrived in Prayagraj for this Mahakumbhhasundoubtedly created new
records. But beyond those physically present, crores of people who could not
reach Prayagraj were also deeplyconnected emotionally to the occasion. The
sacred water brought back by pilgrims became a source of spiritual bliss for
millions. Many of those returning from theMahakumbhwere received with respect
in their villages, honoured by society.
What has
happened in the last few weeks is unprecedented and has laid a foundation for
centuries to come.
More
devotees arrived in Prayagraj than anyone had imagined. The administration had
estimated attendance based on past experiences of the Kumbh.
Nearly
twice the population of the United States participated in thisEktaKaMahakumbh.
If scholars
of spirituality analyse the enthusiastic participation of crores of Indians, they
willfind that India, proud of its heritage, is now surging ahead with a new-found
energy. I believe this is the dawn of a new era, which will script the future
of a new India.
For
thousands of years, the Mahakumbh has strengthened India's national
consciousness. Every Purnakumbh used to witness a gathering of saints, scholars
and thinkers deliberatingupon the state of society in their times. Their
reflections used to providea new direction to the nation and society. Every six
years, during the Ardhkumbh, these ideas were reviewed. After 12 Purnakumbh
occurrences spanning 144 years, obsolete traditions were given up, newer ideas
were embraced, and new traditions were created move ahead with the times.
After 144
years, in this Mahakumbh, our saints have once again given us a new message for
India's development journey. That message isDeveloped India – Viksit Bharat.
At thisEktaKaMahakumbh,
every pilgrim, whether rich or poor, young or old, from villages or cities,
from India or abroad, from the East or the West, from the North or the South, irrespective
of caste, creedand ideology, came together. This was an embodiment of the
vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharatthat filled confidence in crores of people.
Now, we must come together in the same spirit for the mission of building a
developed India.
I am
reminded of the incident where,as a little boy, Shri Krishna revealed a
snapshot of the whole universe within His mouth to His mother Yashoda.
Similarly, in this Mahakumbh, the people of India and the world have witnessed
the massive potential of India's collective strength. We must now move forward
with this self-confidence and dedicate ourselves towardsbuilding a developed
India.
Earlier, the
saints of the Bhakti movement hadidentified and encouraged the strength of our
collective resolve across India. From Swami Vivekananda to Sri Aurobindo, every
great thinker reminded us of the power of our collective resolve. Even Mahatma
Gandhi experienced it during the freedom movement. Post-independence, if this collective
strengthhad been correctly recognised and harnessed towards boosting the
welfare of all, it would have become a great force for a newly independent
nation. Unfortunately, it was not done earlier. But now, I am gladdened to
witness the way in which this collective strength of the people is coming
together for a developed India.
From the
Vedas to Vivekananda, from the ancient scriptures to modern satellites, India’s
great traditions have shaped this nation. As a citizen, I pray that we draw new
inspiration from the memories of our ancestors and saints. May thisEktaKaMahakumbh
help usmove ahead with new resolutions. Let us make unity our guiding
principle. Let us work with the understanding that service to the nation is service
to the divine.
During my
election campaign in Kashi, I had said,"Maa Ganga has called me."
This was not just an emotion but also a call of responsibility, towards the
cleanliness of our sacred rivers. Standing at the confluence of the Ganga,
Yamuna, and Saraswati in Prayagraj, my resolve became even stronger. The cleanliness
of our rivers is deeply linked to our own lives. It is our responsibility to
celebrate our rivers, big or small, as life-giving mothers. This Mahakumbh has
inspired us to keep working towards the cleanliness of our rivers.
I know that
organizing such a massive event was no easy task. I pray to Maa Ganga, Maa
Yamuna, and Maa Saraswati to forgive us in case there were any shortcomings in
our devotion. I see Janata Janardan, the people, as an embodiment of divinity.
In case there has been any shortcoming in our efforts to serve them, I also
seek the forgiveness of the people.
Crores of
people came to the Mahakumbh with a feeling of devotion. Serving them was also
a responsibility that was carried out with the same feeling of devotion. As a
Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh, I can proudly say that under the
leadership of Yogi Ji, the administration and the people worked together to
make thisEktaKaMahakumbh a success. Be it the state or Centre, there were no
rulers or administrators and instead, everyone was a devoted sevak. Sanitation
workers, police, boatmen, drivers, people serving food - everyone worked
tirelessly. The way the people of Prayagraj welcomed the pilgrims with open
heartsdespite facing many inconveniences was particularly inspirational. I
express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to them and the people of Uttar
Pradesh.
I have
always had unwavering confidence in the bright future of our nation.Witnessing
this Mahakumbh has strengthened my conviction manifold.
The way 140
crore Indians turned the EktaKaMahakumbh into a global occasion is truly wonderful.
Moved by the dedication, devotion and efforts of our people, I will soon visit Shri
Somnath, the first among the 12 Jyotirlingas, to offer the fruits of these collective
national efforts to Him and to pray for every Indian.
The
physical form of the Mahakumbhmay have culminated successfully on
Mahashivratri,but just like the eternal flow of the Ganga, the spiritual
strength, national consciousness and unity that Mahakumbh has awakened will
continue to inspire us for generations to come.
