What began as a journey of reluctant exploration turned into an experience that reshaped my understanding of faith, devotion and purpose

Triveni is where the three sacred rivers, Ganga, Yamuna,and the now-extinct mythical Sarasvati, merge. It is believed that bathing in the holy waters of Sangam, particularly during certain auspicious days, brings blessings. I am not too fond of visiting religious places. I am used to a certain level of comfort. I have, probably mistakenly, come to associate spirituality and religion with a minimalistic way of living. Standing in serpentine queues for a microsecond glimpse does not appeal to me.

I remember a visit to Tirupati during my railway probation with two other friends. A look at the painfully slow-moving long queue was enough for us to wait outside as the third friend went in to also pray on our behalf. I believe that my God resides within me.Thus, the idea of visiting the Kumbh was not even remotely in my thoughts. An article on the biggest religious and spiritual fair in the world made me realise that this was the Mahakumbh, an event that would repeat 144 years later. It was this novelty that I could not resist. My wife decreed that we should also visit Varanasi. A premium tent was reserved in one of the luxury camps. We booked waitlisted train tickets without any hopes of confirmation. My younger brother working in the railways assured us to try to get us the seats.

I was hoping he might not be able to help, till we boarded the train early in the morning, much apprehensive about the next three days. We had read and heard enough about the stampede and the long walks due to the barricades. The experience in Prayagraj was nothing like my apprehensions. The camp by the banks of the river Ganges, away from the crowded centre, was more of a luxury resort.

The roads were crowded, which resulted in traffic jams. But we managed to take a dip at the confluence and then visit the Akharas, the religious order of Sadhus, the monks. We did not have to walk long distances. The next day was slightly more chaotic. The cab for Varanasi arrived late and we had to take an e-rickshaw to reach the parking lot. The evening saw us jostling with the massive crowd, all walking towards the riverbank for the customary Ganga Aarti, a daily ritual performed at dusk to honour the sacred river. We even managed to brave the humongous crowd the next day to pray at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. I realised that the two cities are more than a confluence of the rivers or a visit to the temple. It is a Sangam of diverse people, united through a single objective.

The majority are poor people, who are content in their devotion and belief in a supreme power. They have not seen Him, but have an unshakeable belief that their God will not forsake them, come what may. It is this faith that sees them bear the drudgery of living and eking out a livelihood. Many from the upper strata of society do not have to struggle each day, but they also have this absolute faith.

A few like me are curious and visit for the novelty. It was more than a different experience. There I was, moving in the vast sea of humanity, looking around me with awe. It dawned upon me that like the multitude, I too needed this visit. I learned that I must perform actions with the same single-minded devotion. This is the reason that I was born a human in the vast universe. I was transformed. I had found my goal.

(The author is an electrical engineer with the Indian Railways and conducts classes in creative writing; views are personal)