The most ancient religious festival of India- the Kumbha is held at 4 centres. Prayag (Allahabad on Sangam, Haridwar (Ganga) Ujjain (Kshipra) at Nasik on Godavari river on every 4th year at changed place coming back on the same place after 12 years gap. The year it is being held at Prayag and it has a super status of being Mega Kumbha among all the four places.
The month long conclave is having every day about 3 crores people coming and going. But the “Mauni Amavasya” on 10th February 2013 was the biggest bathing day of the whole Kumbha period with the pilgrims numbers swelling to about 5 crores of people. Every where the huge congregation passed off with full religious fervour only a small mishap occurred at the foot bridge on the railway platforms due to sudden heavy rush on it. It caused severe progress on its entire length at the railing and it gave at one place killing 36 and juries to 50 others.
Then too it can not be termed as fault or carelessness of the rail administration. Such stampedes occures at many places due to sudden heavy rush and panic among the people. At Sharda Peeth at Mahar similar railing break caused stampede and death and it Mahakal temple at Ujjain such mishap occurred. In the decade of so in the Kumbha at Allahabad itself a passage bridge over the river due sudden intake of Nage Sadhu. At Haridwar Kumbha in the decade of 70 passage bridge was closed for public for VIP service.
It caused sudden rush to hearby by such bridge and it collapsed causing deaths and injuries. During the Haj pilgrimage at Macca in Saudi Arabia a tent colony caught fire gutted killing many there. A small ignition can cause defestating fire. Such mishap are not caused by negligence and fault of any body generally exceptionably in some mishap it may so. On all such gathering movements of people and traffic situation are the main concern and concentration of managing bodies. It really a Herculean task of maintain discipline in mob but it should be regulated with keeping all the eventualities in mind. Lathi charge or any harsh action by police on such occasions deteriotes the situation further and more disastrous.
All such huge gathering should be used to focus social and national causes and information people from all over India and allowed gather here offering huge opportunities for public relations and cultural exchanges between the people of different states and countries. The World is amazed that without any efforts crores of people gather at Kumbha on their own volition. Kumbha is known as world’s biggest human gathering. The centre and the Kubha states Uttar Pradesh (Prayag-Haridwar), Madhya Pradesh (Ujjain) and Maharashtra (Nasik) must have permanent Kumbha townships like one ‘Khelgaon’ set up at Delhi. For rest of the lean period such permanent township may be used for other public and state purposes.
Founder : Late Shri Ramgopal Maheshwari
