Year 2025 started on a great note as I got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take my parents to the Maha Kumbh 2025—an event that holds unparalleled spiritual significance. As a devotee and a traveler, this was my second Maha Kumbh experience, the first being in 2013 when I rode my Bajaj Avenger across cities to reach Prayagraj. Maha Kumbh 2013 journey connected me deeply to my spiritual roots, but it also exposed the glaring mismanagement of the event under the then-government. Scenes of people sleeping on the ghats without shelter, overflowing toilets, and an unbearable smell masked by white chemical powder remain etched in my memory. It was heartbreaking to witness such a sacred event tainted by negligence.

Open Invitation by CM Yogi Ji

Maha Kumbh 2025, led by the UP Government and CM Yogi Adityanath ji, extends an open invitation to all. I envisioned a more organised and seamless experience, and the grand planning under CM Yogi Adityanath ji’s leadership has undoubtedly surpassed expectations in both scale and vision, For that every sanantani is grateful to you and organisers.

A Sacred Journey of Traffic Jam

In Maha Kumbh 2025, certain administrative failures stood out, making it a tedious journey, especially for those traveling with elderly parents. The biggest challenge was the sheer lack of coordination on the ground, where officials seemed to function in silos, offering vague directions like “stay here,” “go there,” and “don’t wait here.” This led to a grueling 8-hour drive for a mere 40 km stretch into Prayagraj, only to be directed to a parking area near Arail Ghat. Here, basic amenities like proper toilets were scarce, forcing men, women, and senior citizens into open defecation.

VIP culture and Struggles of Common Pilgrim

The VIP culture was another major disappointment—while common devotees were asked to walk 7-8 km to reach the ghats, Vehicles of government officials, bureaucrats, judges, and politicians, along with their families, were given direct access. This created massive traffic congestion, turning the pilgrimage into an endurance test rather than a spiritual retreat. At Arail Ghat, the divide was even more evident. A designated area, equivalent to just a few tennis courts, was barricaded exclusively for VIPs, who were ferried to the Sangam in private boats. Ironically, the scene resembles a herd of sheep and goats confined within barricades, seemingly protected from an unseen predator. The absence of proper transport and support for the elderly further added to the ordeal, leaving many like me struggling to find a way to the ghats without exorbitant expenses.

Financial Exploitation 

Beyond logistical mismanagement, the economic exploitation of devotees was unmistakable. With a cash-only system dominating Prayagraj, petrol pumps refused online payments, leaving travelers stranded without fuel. Basic transportation costs skyrocketed—what should have been a short 2 km ride cost ₹500, while boat rides ranged from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 per person. The entire economy around Maha Kumbh seemed designed to exploit innocent pilgrims who had come with pure devotion to witness this sacred event. This blatant profiteering overshadowed the spiritual essence of the Kumbh Mela, turning what should have been a soul-enriching experience into a financial ordeal for many.

Yogi Ji, Maha Kumbh 2025 event you invited us, should have upheld the values of Sanatan Dharma—equality and devotion above all else.

As I reflect on Maha Kumbh 2025 Yatra, I feel grateful for having taken my parents to witness this grand event, though the event was better managed, the stark inequality was impossible to ignore. Maha Kumbh 2025 was a testament to both progress and inequality—an event where faith remained strong, but fairness did not. To me, Traffic jams, stampedes, and VIP culture privileges were overshadowed only by the unwavering devotion of 66 crore (660 million) pilgrims who braved all odds to seek solace in the holy waters of Triveni Sangam.

As I look toward Maha Kumbh 2038, I sincerely hope and wish that a true Sanatan committee with an unbiased administration takes charge to ensure that every devotee—regardless of status or wealth—is treated with equal dignity and access to Triveni Sangam Ghat. Only then will this sacred tradition truly honor its spiritual legacy.

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Note: Every 12th year, the Purna (Full) Kumbh becomes the Maha Kumbh, occurring once every 144 years—an event of unparalleled celestial significance. The true origin of the first Maha Kumbh remains unknown.