After a wasted year, the future that beckons may not be rosy
Well into the New Year the celebration of Mahakumbh—the largest congregation of humanity on this planet—will continue giving us all much food for thought. The Kumbh Mela is a testament to the faith of hundreds of millions of Indians. Convened once in 12 years, it usually pushes other news from the headlines. This time the event is extremely special as the occasion is once in 144 years—a window of opportunity for the devout to take the dip in holy water at the Sangam and wash away their sins.
The UP government appears to have pulled out all the stops to make this Mahakumbh unforgettable. Dazzling arrangements have been made for this grander-than-ever divya and bhavya parva. Luxury tents—well-carpeted, with air-conditioning, wi-fi, LCD TV screens, and eco-friendly ensuite bathrooms—can make anyone drool.
Security arrangements are unprecedented with the deployment of underwater drones and their cousins hovering in the sky. A notch higher than this accommodation are domes perched on a platform providing a 360° bird’s-eye view of the milling crowds jostling braving the cold to step into the spot after VVIPs have left.
Some of our friends have been cribbing about the ‘crass commercialisation’ of Sanatan dharma. We think that the confusion is created by claiming the prefix sanatan to be used exclusively in the context of religious beliefs and rituals. Our culture and civilisational heritage too are Sanatan. Nothing represents our syncretic, inclusive way of life than a Sangam—the confluence.
Let’s not lose any sleep over religious commerce. Professional priests—purohitas and pandas—have flourished from time immemorial at places of pilgrimage. They have carved out a role for themselves as guides and facilitators. In days when travel was arduous, at times life-threatening, the devout found succour and shelter in hostelries like dharmshala in the tirth sthan. The state of art AI-enabled technology isn’t out of place at all.
Our myths that are fast replacing the discipline of history are replete with tales of fantastic gadgets and miraculous performances of our ancestors. Doesn’t the lore of samudra manthan—churning of the ocean—that yielded nectar recount other priceless gifts: Kalp vriksha and Kamdhenu, Kaustubh mani—the wish-fulfilling tree, celestial cow and the one of its kind gem? What we are witnessing is the confluence of faith, spirituality, science and technology.
Having said this we must remind our readers that the churning that never ceases in our lives throws up deadly poison along with ambrosia promising immortality. The metaphor also tells us that nothing can be achieved without selfless toil. The hero in this pauranik tale is Shiva who consumed halahala to save humanity from extinction. Let the Mahakumbh be the time to ponder the churning all over the globe.
The looming threat of climate catastrophe. The genocidal conflict in the Middle East. Ukraine turning into a wasteland just because of its unfortunate geopolitical location. Donald Trump’s return to power has sent tremors all over. He has shown himself to be unpredictable with a streak of megalomania, but he isn’t the only global leader with a messianic zeal and an authoritarian streak. As we approach our Republic Day the newly elected POTUS will be holding court at his mini kumbh—the inauguration.
Rumours are rife about Xi Jin Peng facing grave economic challenges at home and even if there is an iota of truth in this, it is likely to make his foreign policy posture more aggressive. This doesn’t augur well for Indian interests. China’s expansionist designs in the Indian Ocean and in the South Asian subcontinent impinge on India’s security.
Recent turbulence in Bangladesh, economic travails and social unrest in Nepal, and Pakistan’s inability to protect itself from the Taliban and to reconcile with Baluch rebels aggravate India’s strategic problems. It has somehow managed a precarious tightrope walking between contending power blocs but as the churning gathers momentum the task will become well neigh impossible.
The domestic scene may appear tranquil on the surface but only a few fathom down trouble is brewing. Communal polarisation has constrained the RSS supremo to extend an olive branch. The PM has sent a chadar to the dargah at Ajmer Sharif. However, the danger of losing balance lurks as elections approach.
Loudmouth spokespersons continue to behave like loose canons. Some experts feel that the name of the Indian PM was missing from the list of invitees for Trump’s inauguration as a BJP leader had accused the US deep state of destabilising Modi’s Bharat. Another boorish BJP has caused embarrassment by misogynist remarks about Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Farmers continue to be on the warpath and Manipur smoulders on slow fire. Journalists keep getting murdered by the nexus of corrupt contractors and bureaucrats enjoying political protection.
January—the month named after the two-faced Roman God—is a time to look back at the wasted year as well as to the future that beckons but may not be always rosy.
Pushpesh Pant
Former professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
pushpeshpant@gmail.com