Maha Kumbh 2025: Controversies Surround 45 Day Festival (image:x.com/MIB_India)
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh: The 45-day Maha Kumbh festival ends today. With the final dip at the Triveni Sangam (confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the Saraswati) in Prayagraj on Shivratri, the world’s largest spiritual gathering will conclude.
As the final curtain falling today for the mela that takes place once in 12 years, lets look at some of the controversies that hit the festival.
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The Stampede
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A pre-dawn stampede at the Mahakumbh Mela in Allahabad on January 29 killed 30 people (according to official version, however some had claimed that the casualty numbers would be much higher than this) and injured more than 60. In a statement, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the administration was overwhelmed by the huge crowds who gathered to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar.
The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a judicial commission to determine the factors that resulted in the tragic stampede as well as to probe into the deaths and loss of property in the incident. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee terming the event as “Mrityu Kumbh” (Kumbh of Death), and her criticism on Adityanath government for alleged mismanagement has invited controversy.
300km Traffic Jam
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On February 10, traffic jams extending up to 300 km has stranded Maha Kumbh devotees on highways without food and water for several hours. The incident left the devotees struggled to even walk toward the Sangam amid the havoc. Apart from this, the roads connecting Prayagraj to Madhya Pradesh, Lucknow, Varanasi, and other areas were heavily packed with hundreds of vehicles. “It is impossible to move towards Prayagraj today as there is a traffic jam of 200-300 kilometres,” police said. As several videos appeared on social media platforms showing massive queues of cars and trucks on roads, netizens called it as the “biggest traffic jam in the world.”
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A report submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has raised alarming concerns over the poor water quality in Ganga river at various locations in Prayagraj. The report indicated that a significant rise in faecal coliform bacteria, microorganismas usually found in the intestines of all warm-blooded animals and humans, in the river water. Since its levels are far above the safe limit of 2,500 units per 100 millilitres, river water quality did not conform with the bathing criteria. However, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister dismissed faecal bacteria report and said that Sangam water is fit for drinking. He called the report as a ‘propaganda’ to malign Maha Kumbh.
Abhinav Arora and His Luxury Dior Backpack
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Abhinav Arora, a ten-year-old spiritual orator and content creator, popularly known as ‘Bal Saint’ caught in controversy for allegedly carrying a ‘calfskin’ black bag from luxury brand Christian Dior at Maha Kumbh festival. In a video released on Abhinav’s official YouTube and Instagram handles, where he shared his experience on visiting the mela, was seen carrying a bag from luxury brand Christian Dior. On the brand’s website, alleged bag was placed with Rs. 3.1 lakh, and described as “black coated cotton canvas with CD diamond print and black smooth calfskin.”
The online furor started as many presumed the bag was entirely made from calfskin leather, which posed concerns regarding the religious reverence of cows in Hinduism and also the significance of the festival among the Hindu devotees. Tarun Raj, Father of Abhinav Arora, released a statement on behalf of his son saying that he was carrying a bag made of ‘fabric canvas’ and not calfskin. “The said bag is made out of fabric canvas and not calfskin. I don’t use leather at all even in my footwears. I will never do that in my lifetime,” the statement said. However, the bag’s description contradicts statement.
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Photos, Videos of Women Bathing Sold Online
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As per media reports, photos and videos of women bathing, allegedly taken at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, were being circulated and sold on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram. The UP Police has started legal action against some social media handles as part of the cops’ crackdown against offensive content on social media platforms related to the religious gathering. Some Facebook pages promoted the obscene content using the hashtags #mahakumbh2025, #gangasnan, and #prayagrajkumbh, and captions like “Maha Kumbh Ganga Snan Prayagraj”, Deccan Herald reported.
The opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) criticised the the Adityanath government over the videos, party chief said: “It is a very sensitive matter as it involves the privacy of the women devotees….it is the responsibility of the government to protect the dignity of the women…the state government and other concerned agencies must immediately take cognizance of the matter and ensure action against the guilty.”
The Kumbh Mela also hit headline when the mismanagement of Indian Railways of passengers in New Delhi Railway Station resulted in a stampede that claimed at least 18 deaths last week.
