The Kumbh Mela Shahi Snan took place on 12th April and went on till 9pm. Approximately around 35 Lakh people participated in this ‘holy practice’. But could a country with 1.39 billion population afford this public gathering at the time of pandemic? The covid-19 cases have reached the peak again and this time it’s worse than before. Reported to be the 3rd wave of corona infection, it doesn’t do anything for people to avoid normal exercises.
New normal could just be very new to follow! The ‘Kumbh Mela Shahi Snan’ gathering in Haridwar, Uttrakhand proves that people don’t care about the pandemic and are in no way planning to prevent it.
The city itself has reported the highest spike in a single day with around 1,925 cases and 13 deaths. The gruesomeness of the situation is very clear at this point but irrespective, people are turning a blind eye. Nearby 12pm, 8-10 lakh people had already taken the ‘Holy Bath’ at Har Ki Pauri ghat on the river banks of Ganga. Amidst the event, basic covid protection and social distancing protocol wasn’t only violated but people went beyond the extent by not wearing safety masks.
Wednesday’s snan was a devotion to celebrate Mesh Sankranti and Baisakhi. It was supposedly the third shahi snan of the Kumbh Mela, Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The first shahi snan took place on March 11 on the occasion of ‘Maha Shivratri‘, second was held on April 12th, Sunday. Massive participation of people made it difficult for the police to cut chalans for forbidding the social distancing norms. But is this excuse enough?
Comparing the barely enough healthcare facilities of India (where we have only 5 beds per 10,000 people) with the currently expanding state of population, the future times are going to be a hard pill to swallow! Is life the cost of worshipping now? Ignoring poverty, hunger, and now ignoring the global pandemic is how we prove ourselves to god, isn’t it?
