Confluence of paths to the Divine converge in Kumbh

In 2022, Prime Minister Modi said that this was not an era of war but that of peace. There ought never to be a time of war, instead we need to ensure that peace inner and outer becomes our default option, our natural state.

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No Prime Minister previous to Narendra Modi has paid as much attention to the culture of India from ancient to the contemporary. Through this cultural narrative, PM Modi has showcased a cultural tradition all the world can admire. Peace and harmony are central in such a narrative. He has frequently referred to the need for all to live in a state of harmony and mutual respect. The Kumbh Mela illustrates such a point in an unexcelled way. The Kumbh Mela is attended by believers in almost all the faiths of the world. Amidst the multitudes taking part, an inner peace pervades individuals who participate in the Mela. In a sea of humanity, each looks inward within oneself to discover and to express the spark of humanity that is within us, and yet has so after been buried by the layers upon layers of modern life. Abstemious sadhus stand beside those who have partaken of a life filled with luxury. The unlettered gaze skywards together with those having a string of academic degrees advertising their scholarship. There are those who have never missed a Mela, others who are newbies coming out of a sense of adventure, others out of mere curiosity. There are no barriers to entry and participation, all that is sought is that each of the millions taking part should fashion their behaviour to reflect the reality that each is entitled to his or her own chosen path in the search for the divine that is in each of us, and which is everywhere. Violence towards others that is bred from the intolerance that a sense of superiority brings needs to be abandoned, if possible even after leaving the Kumbh Mela and reaching home.