The Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, attracting crores of devotees. On January 30, 2025, on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, a stampede broke out at the Mahakumbh Mela resulting in a large number of fatalities and injuries. The exact number of casualties remains disputed, with initial reports citing 30 deaths, while other sources suggest the toll could be as high as 40 or more. The stampede occurred in the early morning hours when a massive crowd of devotees gathered at the bathing ghats at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, to take a holy dip. Reports indicate that the administration had closed several pontoon bridges, forcing pilgrims to use a single route. As the crowd swelled, panic ensued, leading to a chaotic scramble. Many pilgrims, including women and children, were trampled underfoot, while others were pushed into the river.
The administration’s response was delayed, and accurate information about the number of casualties and injuries was not immediately available. According to the editorial in the Hindu (30 January), the tragedy “confirms India’s dubious distinction of having the most number of deaths during religious gatherings.” The tragedy at the Mahakumbh was avoidable. It brought to the fore, the urgent need for meticulous planning and crowd management in such vast gatherings. The safety and well-being of pilgrims should always be the highest priority and must override all other considerations.
Crowd Management Failures and People’s Anger
The Mahakumbh stampede exposed the mismanagement of crowd control by the authorities in charge of the event. Despite claims of thorough planning and deploying advanced technology, including 2,700 AI-powered CCTV cameras, the administration failed to handle the massive influx of devotees. The lack of proper entry and exit routes, the absence of clear pathways, and the overcrowding at key points created a recipe for disaster.
Additionally, the closure of several pontoon bridges forced pilgrims to use a single route, exacerbating the congestion. The administration’s focus on VIP movements further complicated the situation, as roads were blocked to facilitate the passage of dignitaries, leaving ordinary pilgrims stranded.
Those who were reporting live from the Mahakumbh Mela got several fuming responses from the devotees. “From 4 am, there were no arrangements. Thirty bridges were made, but I have been roaming since 4 am, and my car is stuck for 152 kilometres. They closed all the bridges. I came from Number 13, but now Number 13 has been made one-way, meaning those who came from this side cannot go back.”
It was a textbook case of violating the instructions laid down by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the highest authority responsible for formulating disaster mitigation policies in the country. In 2014, the NDMA released a report on crowd management at large gatherings and measures to prevent stampedes.
VIP Culture and Its Role in the Tragedy
The VIP culture in India, which prioritises the convenience of a select few over the safety and well-being of the general public, played a significant role in worsening the Mahakumbh stampede. In the words of Newslaundry’s Atul Chaurasia, “The venom of caste hierarchy that runs in the blood of some has now advanced in the form of VIP culture. Every person, according to his status, occupies VIP areas for bathing and temple visits; they do not share their religion with everyone.”
The administration’s focus on facilitating the movements of VIPs, including politicians, celebrities, and religious leaders, created bottlenecks and chaos in the crowd. Roads were blocked, and routes were diverted to accommodate VIP convoys, leaving ordinary pilgrims to navigate through overcrowded and unsafe pathways.
Angry devotees complained, “Why are VIPs allowed? Are they humans and we are not? If this is for VIPs, then why have bridges at all? The public’s money was used to build these bridges, so why are they being denied access? Pedestrians were stuck on a single bridge while VIP cars were zooming straight to the VIP ghat.”
It was a naked display of “parivar-shahi” (this time of the ideological kind) an allegation frequently made against the “first family” of grand old party of India. Practising “Walk the talk” has never been the strong point of the political class in our country.
Media’s Role: Silence and Complicity
The media’s handling of the Mahakumbh stampede was another aspect that drew criticism. Many media outlets downplayed the incident or failed to report it adequately, raising questions about their role in holding power to account.
Ravish Kumar’s scathing critique of the pro-government media highlighted how several channels and newspapers either ignored the tragedy or buried it in their coverage. Ravish, in his signature style, informed his viewers, “People lost their lives in the accident, but the media did not perish in it. It had chosen this death for itself long ago. Thirty people lost their lives, and sixty were injured, yet “godi-media” conveniently erased this news for hours – should this be called an accident or a premeditated silence?”
He said that a prominent Hindi daily “did not even give space on the front page to the deaths at Kumbh but did not shy away from showering praises on the government. The daily compared Prayagraj to Tokyo, claiming that for two days, it became the largest city in the world due to the massive influx of people. But the news of 30 deaths could not find space on its front page – this is the ‘Viksit Bharat’ media model. After the tragedy, newspapers carried reports of the Chief Minister becoming ‘emotional,’ but the number of deaths and the administration’s failure was conveniently suppressed. When the media swallows every truth to shield the government, the final rites of democracy are being performed.”
If the media had critically analysed the loopholes in managing the massive event, it could have alerted the government and administration to remove those shortcomings in time, ensuring better preparedness and effective crisis management. If the government had remained open and transparent, allowing the media to do its job – such a tragedy could have been avoided.
Saving Grace
The only saving grace in this entire episode was the selfless service carried out by those extraordinary citizens especially those from the Muslim community, who made extraordinary efforts to save lives and extend assistance to thousands of Mahakumbh pilgrims. The pilgrims were given refuge in mosques, and arrangements were made to provide them with food, blankets, and other necessities. Our leaders and the entire nation must take inspiration from their actions in upholding communal harmony, brotherhood, and solidarity.