People from every corner of Uttar Pradesh have stepped up to support and assist the massive gathering of devotees at Mahakumbh Nagar. Inspired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, individuals from all religions, classes and communities are coming forward to aid the pilgrims. Residents of Prayagraj, along with those from Lucknow, Ayodhya, Kashi, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Chitrakoot, and Mirzapur are actively arranging food and water for the devotees.
According to a government spokesman, doctors, teachers and volunteers from various fields have also joined the efforts to serve the pilgrims. Witnessing an unprecedented influx of devotees, even robotic surgeons from England and leading heart and vascular specialists from across India are stepping in to provide medical assistance.
In an extraordinary gesture of hospitality, schools and religious institutions have opened their doors to accommodate visitors, the spokesman pointed out. In Prayagraj, a 65-member team from The Pom Academy distributes free food and water at the railway station and surrounding areas. Food packets are also being provided via mobile vans to those facing commuting challenges. Additionally, 12 school rooms have been prepared for temporary lodging, while staff from various schools are seen actively helping devotees on the streets.
With the support of the UP government, a diverse group of professionals - from robotic surgeons from England to local teachers - are dedicated to serving the devotees at Maha Kumbh, the spokesman added.
At Apollo Hospital in Lucknow, a team of doctors provides online medical assistance to pilgrims, with renowned vascular surgeon Dr Yashpal Singh offering virtual consultations. Additionally, Dr Waliullah Siddiqui, a specialist in robotic surgery from England, has travelled from Lucknow to Prayagraj to provide direct medical care.
Similarly, Dr Avinash Kumar Singh, a leading cardiologist from Medanta Hospital, is diagnosing and prescribing medicines online for pilgrims from Lucknow and Ayodhya.
Many volunteers distribute water and food packets to the devotees along the routes leading to Prayagraj from Ayodhya, Sultanpur and Pratapgarh.
The people of UP are showcasing an extraordinary confluence of faith and humanity, setting an example for the entire nation, the spokesman claimed.
Upon entering Prayagraj, one is immediately immersed in an atmosphere of devotion, social harmony and goodwill. Every day, a sea of devotees arrives at Mahakumbh Nagar to take a holy dip in the sacred Triveni.
In a remarkable display of unity, Muslim community members extended their warm welcome alongside Sanatan devotees. Outside the Jama Masjid in the Chowk area, a large gathering of people greeted the pilgrims with chants of 'Har Har Gange', offering flowers and angavastram as a gesture of reverence before bidding them farewell.
Dr Anjali Kesari, a local, summed up the sentiment: "In Allahabad, we don’t see the Maha Kumbh pilgrims as outsiders, we are hosts and they are our guests." She shared how her neighbourhood in Chowk, close to the railway station, banded together to serve food to weary pilgrims.
Many locals have cleared up spaces outside their homes for visitors to rest at night. “For us, Kumbh is not just a religious fair; it is a confluence of humanity,” Dr Kesari said.
City hotels are not far behind in lending a pro bono hand to the weary. Alok Singh, who runs a Vitthal Hotel in Civil Lines, has converted his 100-bed dormitory into a free rest stop for pilgrims.
“After taking a holy dip, many devotees are exhausted when they return to Civil Lines and head towards the railway station. It’s a part of Prayagraj’s culture to help others, and this is our way of contributing,” he said.
Dr Mrityunjay Parmar, an assistant professor in the English Department said in the aftermath of the stampede, Allahabad University opened its campus and hostels to returning pilgrims before they undertook their journey.
Apart from accommodation, the university campus has been designated as a holding area for Kumbh, where officials and students are working together to arrange meals for pilgrims.
In the old city area, Yadgar-e-Husaini Inter College, a Muslim minority institution established in 1942 near GT Road, opened its doors for the pilgrims to take a rest. The college is close to the bus stand and the Civil Lines Railway Station.
Dr Krishna Singh, a dentist running a bhandara late into the night for devotees on Harshvardhan Marg in Sector 17 of the fair, said, “We keep the bhandara open late so that no one goes hungry. Here, it operates from 5 pm to 2 am.”
The Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13 and will continue till February 26, is seeing pilgrims in millions descending on Prayagraj every day, occupying almost every road and bylane as they make their way to the Maha Kumbh Mela area.
According to the Uttar Pradesh government, nearly 30 crore pilgrims had taken the holy dip in the sacred waters at the Maha Kumbh till Thursday.
