Foreign Media on the Maha Kumbh — The Festival Of All Festivals

The significance of Maha Kumbh Mela extends far beyond its scale. This monumental gathering has long been a confluence of spirituality and commerce, mentions Chinese traveler Xuanzang in his seventh-century writings. Influential rulers and prosperous merchants once immersed themselves in the sacred waters and made generous contributions, he writes. This tradition continues to resonate through the ages, and even today reflects the enduring ethos of devotion and generosity that defines the Maha Kumbh Mela, write the foreign media.

The Guardian says the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage is celebrated as the “festival of festivals” in the Hindu calendar. The festival attracts a vibrant mix of sadhus (holy men), ascetics, pilgrims, and tourists. In its Instagram post, the New York Times mentions how crores of Hindus are gathering in what is expected to be the world’s largest human congregation. Devotees, tourists, politicians, and celebrities take sacred dips at the convergence of two holy rivers in India.

The BBC writes that Hindus believe that bathing in the sacred river will cleanse them of sins, purify their soul, and liberate them from the cycle of birth and death, the goal being salvation. The spectacle is so massive that it can be seen from space.

The Associated Press describes the event as the world’s largest human gathering where around 40 core people, surpassing the entire population of the United States, are expected to gather over 45 days. This is approximately 200 times the number of pilgrims, who attended the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca and Medina last year.

Reuters describes the Kumbh Mela as a Hindu sacred event, which is world's largest gathering of humanity. Pakistan’s Express Tribune carried an image of sadhus at Prayagraj with a caption: “The world's largest religious gathering, the Maha Kumbh, has begun in India, drawing millions of Hindu devotees to the banks of the Ganges in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. This year's event is particularly grand, with significant political undertones.”