Modi inaugurates key development projects

The Maha Kumbh 2025 is a “mahayagya of unity” which would take the country’s cultural and spiritual identity to new heights, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, emphasising the event’s role in promoting social cohesion as well as economic empowerment of communities.

Addressing a public meeting here after inaugurating developmental projects to improve the city’s infrastructure and provide better amenities to pilgrims during the Kumbh Mela, the prime minister said the differences of castes and sects disappear at the event.

The prime minister inaugurated 167 key development projects worth Rs 5,500 crore. The projects also included Sah’AI’yak Chatbot — an Artificial Intelligence-based platform to streamline communication for devotees attending the Maha Kumbh.

Modi said the city of Prayagraj, which hosts the Maha Kumbh every 12 years, is not just a geographical location, but a place for spiritual experience where the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers plays a pivotal role in uniting people from all walks of life.

“The Maha Kumbh is a mahayagya of unity,” Modi said. “It will take the country’s cultural and spiritual identity to new heights.”

“In the last Kumbh, I had the good fortune of taking a bath at the Sangam and today, once again, I received blessings at the feet of Ganga,” Modi said.

The 2025 Maha Kumbh will be held from January 13 (Paush Poornima) to February 26 (Maha Shivratri) at Prayagraj. It will be the world’s largest religious gathering and more than 40 crore people are expected during the 45-day event.

The prime minister emphasised the historical importance of the event, saying saints and sages have, for centuries, used it as a platform to discuss national issues and provide valuable guidance.

He pointed out that even in ancient times, the Kumbh laid the foundation for social change. Modi also spoke about the current government’s efforts to improve Kumbh-related infrastructure which, he said, had been neglected in the past.

“During previous governments, the importance of Kumbh was not recognised. The devotees kept facing problems at such events, but the governments of the day did not care. The reason for this was their disassociation from Indian culture,” said the PM.

“But today, there is a government at the Centre as well as in the state which respects faith and Indian culture.”

The prime minister highlighted the development of various cultural circuits like the Ramayana, Krishna, and Buddhist circuits, and said they were previously underappreciated.

In his address, the PM acknowledged the contribution of sanitation workers, saying they play a key role in their successful conduct by ensuring cleanliness at such large-scale events.

“More than 15,000 sanitation workers will ensure cleanliness during the 2025 Kumbh,” he said, expressing his gratitude towards them.

The prime minister recalled his personal experience of washing the feet of sanitation workers in 2019, which he described as a memorable moment of his life.

Modi also stressed Maha Kumbh’s potential in empowering communities economically. “Kumbh not only gives social strength but also provides economic empowerment of the people,” Modi said.

Earlier, the prime minister arrived in the city around 12.30 pm and began the visit with ceremonial puja and darshan at the holy Sangam Nose — the point of confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the Saraswati rivers. He undertook a river cruise before the puja.

Wearing a white kurta-pajama, blue jacket and sporting a maroon shawl, Modi arrived at the Sangam Nose on the Nishadraj Cruise, boarding it via the floating jetty at Kila Ghat.

He was received at the confluence point by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel. The prime minister also interacted with saints and greeted them with respect. A saint presented him with a pearl garland as a token of blessings, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement.

It said Modi performed the ‘aarti’ of the Triveni (Sangam Nose), ?praying for global welfare and harmony. PM Modi also sought the blessings of prominent saints.

Amid the chanting of Vedic mantras, the prime minister performed rituals including ‘Jalabhishek’ and ‘Dudhbhishek’ at the Triveni. Following this, he performed the Sangam Aarti. Modi then offered worship at the Akshay Vata Vriksha before visiting the Hanuman Mandir and the Saraswati Koop. He also visited the Maha Kumbh exhibition site and was briefed by officials.