so the stampede happened, each death is a tragedy but there is also perspective- crores of people were at the Kumbh. VIPs given special access to the holy water seldom face problems. Its ordinary people who die. Many will say those who die here at this time are destined to go directly to heaven , for the congregation commemorates the churning of the nectar of immortality ( Amrit) in Satya yuga. Faith can explain away any tragedy.
In the week that saw China launch its DeepeSeek AI shaking up Americas domination of the technology ecosystem, millions have been encouraged by the sanntani social media to take a dip in the confluence of three rivers of Prayagraj. for there is a rare planetary alignment that will transform the river water into nectar,
With this event, Sanatanis sough to establish India’s supremacy in the spiritual domain ,to make up for India’s many shortcomings in the material domain. More people were at this site, on the holy day than at Mecca or Jerusalem. it will be proclaimed. And it will all be voluntary not bound by any holy injunction a unique feature of Sanatan dharma.
Those who called themselves Sanatanis today were called Tirthikas by Buddhists, centuries ago , because they loved to bathe at holy sites (tirtha). traditional faith involves ‘doing’ far more than ‘thinking’, the point is to act, perform the ritual, not wonder about its purpose. this is orthopraxy, a key feature of all religions, despite attempts to intellectualize it since the Enlightenment. ‘To Be Muslim” for example one has seen doing Hajj , to be Sanantani you must be seen in the pilgrim spots that gurus popularize. in 2024 it was Ayodhaya , in 2025 it is Prayagraj.
The first mention of such large gathering from Chinese Buddhist chronicles dated to seventh century AD. the Chinese scholars Xuanzag observed many immortality- seeking Hindus came here to die, in the shade of banyan tree. This tree known as Akashya -vat or the immortal tree, still stands ,locked with in a fort built by Akbar in the 16th centaury. Even today, civilians are not allowed near this tree.
As per local lore Akbar was a yogi in his previous life, who was cursed to be born as a mlechha (barbarian) because he accidentally consumed a single cow ‘hair with his milk. karmic memory prompted Akbar to build his biggest fort at this site. he name the city Illahabas, abode of god. later Mughals called it Allahabad , city of Allah or God . His legendry fondness for yogis and mystics and for Sanatani rituals annoyed the muslin orthodoxy in his court.
The sacred Akshaya vat also marks the spot where the first Jain Tirthankara of this era Rishabh Dev gave his first sermon, in a circular hall on how non violence can end the endless cycle of death. significantly, the most special Magh Mela at Triveni Sangam comes every 12 years when Jupiter enters Rishabh Rashi ( Taurus Zodiac) , the connection between the names of the zodiac and the Tirtthankar can not be a coincidence.
The gathering at Haridwar happened with the entry of Jupiter into kumbha Rashi ( Aquarius Zodiac) and the gathering at Ujjain and Nashik happened with the entry of Jupiter into Simha Rashi ( Leo Zodiac) , so it was Rishabh Mela, Kumbha mela and Simhashtha mela . all were renamed Kumbh and linked to the nectar of immortality after, and because of the 1857 uprising,
after 1857 uprising , the usual gathering in the month of Magh ( Jan -Feb) at the then Allahabad was prevented for a few years. but it resumed in the 1860’s since the British crown , which had replaced the East India company promised not to interfere in religious matter, the locals insisted this gathering was religious . but European knew, looking at the angry faces of pilgrims, and the hundreds of flags raised by ascetic warriors of akhars -gymnasiums that it was not so. Every 12th Magh mela came to be officially declared as Kumbh mela after 1868, the word “Triveni” was linked to the Sangam only in 1873 clearly linking the pilgrim spot to the Vedic sarswati since then, the gathering is not just about Sanantani spirituality. it is also an expression sanntani political power.
Here gather, every 12 years , the warrior ascetics of various denominations the shaivas, the Vaishnavas, the Nath, the Udasin the Kabiras now there is even the Kinnar akhara for transgender invented recently to accommodate queer folks into the sanantn fold every one is invited to witness the spectacle.
it is also a great opportunity to generate wealth from the pilgrim tourist economy. it is also a great event. to show the world how great India is -we can get there richest people of the world to publicly dip in the water declared holy by the sanatanis , hygiene notwithstanding . the poor meanwhile will be asked to wait for their turn as they always have which comes eventually . faith grants ordinary Indians immense patience they will die waiting and still not dissent.