Drenched in divinity

What did Huen Tsang and I have in common?

I asked my wife as soon as I entered home after returning to Delhi from Prayagraj, after having taken a holy dip. She looked puzzled.

“I am amazed. You are a sinner, and you are comparing yourself with such a towering personality,” she retorted and asked, “have you become completely a shameless fellow?”

I responded by citing that Huen Tsang, the famous Chinese traveller, had recorded in his travelogue attending the Kumbh festival in the seventh century. Attending the Maha Kumbh was not just a religious act but also an opportunity to witness a sea of humanity.

I saw for myself that India is at its best—both spiritually and technologically. I was moved by the stories of grit and perseverance about how 16,000 workers and 250 skilled dredgers toiled for 80 days to reclaim the Sangam nose land, where I, along with hundreds of thousands of devotees, took the holy dip.

Have I felt the drops of the elixir after the dip? Have I immersed myself in the waters in the belief that it would purify my soul? Well, to me, spirituality has nothing to do with religion! A spiritual person sees God in every living being and all in God… The experience at the Sangam, amidst the chants, was indeed magical. Though I had long desired to visit the Kumbh, the pilgrimage could only materialize now.

Why did I make the trip? Was it material? Or was it spiritual? Was I there to embrace the unknown? No. It was purely personal; in fact, it was coincidental. I had gone to meet a very close friend in Prayagraj on his invitation to witness what he thought was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For me, a holy dip at the Sangam was the last thing on my mind.

I met a sadhu at one of the Akharas. He told me, “In our country, we have many sects, but they are all connected to Sanatan Dharma. There is no difference between different saints. They meet as if they are brothers.” It was incredible and strange seeing sadhus in different hues and colours.

Being a strong believer in Saint Ravidas, who said, "Man Changa toh kathauti mein Ganga”—when the heart is pure, the Ganga is present even in a small wooden basin—I found it ironic that there I was, waiting for my turn on the banks at the holy confluence.

Not all Sadhus who descended there seemed to have been born to enjoy the good things of life. Was I there for self-purification? My friends accused me of visiting the Kumbh in the faith that I would be free of guilt before the Almighty for any misdeeds I might have committed. That, too, I am not sure of. Knowingly, I have not committed any sin.

Why was I there? I asked myself again and again. Was it Aastha? Was it devotion? Was it Shraddha? Allahabad—the city of Allah or God?

The function of prayer is not to influence God but rather to change the nature of the one who prays. It was a frenzy. It was ecstatic. I am not sure whether I prayed. Yes, I sought the well-being of humankind. I am not sure whether my soul got purified. A dialogue from the Aamir Khan-starrer PK came to mind: "Searching for God—that’s religion. Finding God—that’s news." I was definitely not there for news… but yes, there was a deep feeling of gratitude.

The experience was soothing and certainly more satisfying than I had imagined the proverbial holy dip would make me feel. I don’t know whether the sins I may have unknowingly committed got washed away, but what I felt was a lease of fresh air somewhere deep within.

After I returned, a friend told me, "I can’t believe you went to the Kumbh." I replied, "You never know who’s up to what these days. One never knows who may get inspired when."

I am fortunate enough to have returned to Delhi before Mauni Amavasya, the dark, moonless night—the day when tragedy struck the Maha Kumbh. I can boast that I bathed in joy… May the Kumbh continue to bring humanity together till eternity.

The writer works at Doordarshan. Views expressed are personal