New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday likened the massive Maha Kumbh congregation to the newly awakened consciousness of a nation breathing freely after breaking the shackles of a mindset steeped in centuries-old slavery.
“The Maha Kumbh has concluded. The ‘mahayajna’ of unity has concluded,” PM Modi wrote in a blog, a day after the 45-day religious exercise concluded, and said the country has to now march together with a similar spirit of self-confidence and unity to fulfil the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’.
The prime minister said more devotees than anyone could imagine took the holy dip in Sangam, asserting that India is now forging ahead with a new energy and this points to a turn of era which will write India’s new future.
He offered apology to “Mother Ganga, Mother Yamuna, Mother Saraswati” as well as the people, who he said are a form of God to him, for any shortcoming in the services rendered.
PM Modi noted that making arrangement for an event unfolding at such an enormous scale was not an easy task. Pilgrims almost double the US population participated in the Maha Kumbh, he added.
The administration had made its estimate based on the experience of previous Kumbhs, he said, noting that the real numbers turned out to be more than imagined.
At least 30 devotees died on January 29 during a stampede at the Maha Kumbh, which drew devotees in huge numbers from across the country and abroad.
The Uttar Pradesh government has said over 66 crore people visited the sacred site in Prayagraj since the Maha Kumbh began on January 13.
In his blog, Modi praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying as an MP from UP, he can proudly say that the government, administration and the people collectively under Adityanath’s leadership made this “Maha Kumbh of unity” successful.
He said, “If scholars of spirituality analyse the enthusiastic participation of crores of Indians, they will find 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.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful organisation of Maha Kumbh 2025, calling it “a truly global event”.
Adityanath also expressed gratitude to the media for its coverage of the event.
“Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj truly became a global event, and the credit goes to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His vision has helped us successfully execute this grand event, and you (the media) have played a crucial role in conveying its significance to the country and the world. I thank you for that,” Adityanath said.
He also highlighted Modi’s concept of integrating faith and economy, stating that spiritual tourism holds immense potential, with Uttar Pradesh being the most suitable state to harness it.
“In 2024 alone, 64 crore pilgrims and tourists visited various religious sites across Uttar Pradesh, including Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Vindhyachal, Gorakhpur and Naimisharanya,” the chief minister said.
Over the past 45 days, more than 66.3 crore pilgrims and tourists visited Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh, creating new records in religious tourism, he added.
