Maha Kumbh 2025: The forgotten contribution of Kumbh in India's struggle for Independence

Maha Kumbh 2025, the biggest religious gathering in the world is set to start from 13th of January. The religious fair is supposed to get a foot fall of 400 million. The kumbh has been the ancient platform rather ageless where people from all walks of life unite. It has been a guiding event that continued to deliberate on persisting socio-political situations while paving way forward. But because of its religious feature and domination by Sadhus of Akhadas, its impact on politics has been largely unknown or downplayed. However, it has played a decisive role in India’s conscience awakening has been remarkably important which needs to be tabled in popular discourse and thoroughly discussed.

Since, the Maha Kumbh is accredited to be the biggest gathering of people from all across India, it is obvious that it played key role in the national struggle and has faced repercussions for the same. India’s first war of independence was fought in 1857. It shook the British to the core, it made them realise that unlike other colonies, oppression can’t be the tool to rule in India. As a result they assumed power instead of ruling through East India Company and started ruling through law. But behind the struggle of 1857, the spark was the rebellion of Prayag purohits known as Prayagwal. In Prayagraj’s Mahagav, Prayagwal joined hands with Maulvi Liaqat Ali and started rebellion. Pandit Radheshyam played the buggle by breaking the Chruch bell in Kydganj.

Prayagwals were angry with the Christian missionaries who, in order to convert Indians started their propaganda by demonising Hinduism and their traditions. The missionaries knew that Kumbh is central to Hindu belief and was the biggest example of equality in the most ancient religion. Hence, they started tarhetting Kumbh by calling it as scientifically baseless. Since, missionaries enjoyed the patronage of East India Company and were given a free hand to deceive and coerce people into Christianity, Prayagwals took the charge against them. Irked by Prayagwals who initiated rebellion, British Colonel Neel bombarded the Kumbh site in 1857. Prayagwals’ resistance threatened British and caused a significant dent to them. Pt Radheshyam was hanged for his courageous fight against imperialism. But the they remained undeterred, they continued to pose reaiatance to the British Raj.

After the rebellion for rights was mercelesly curbed by the Britishers, they converted the place into cantonment as next year it was Kumbh and Britishers feared that it could trigger another major movement against them. Forces were deployed and no one was allowed to visit Sangam teerth. Akhadas were banned to enter Prayagraj and even locak residents were not allowed to take a holy dip. Only putohits were allowed in numbers restricted to 1 or 2 who would take sangam jal in their utensils and pour it into the Ganga river armt another place where local residents would then take bath.

Since then, Maha Kumbh became a centre of politicial decision making against Imperialism. Political, social and religious leaders used to gather at Kumbh and motivate Indians in large numbers ti awaken them for freedom struggle. In 1906 Kumbh, the Sanatan Dharm Sabha met in Prayahraj and pledge to eatablish Banaras Hindu University (BHU) under the leadership of Pt Madan Mohan Malviya. The vision behind the establishment of the university was to make Indian youth aware about the power of knowledge which in enshrined in the Bharatiya civilisation and its values, culture. It strived to bust the British-floated narrative that demonised Indian culture by painting it in bad light while praising western culture. The nationalistic outlook of the university and its vision led it to prominence in national independence struggle. Students, teachers ans other staff at BHU contributed in the Non Cooperation Movement, held drives to recruit for Indian National Army.

Besides, the Birla Hostel, Limdi Hostel and others became havens for freedom fighters. They used to come to the hostel to stay underground or deliberate with young voices. Freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru too used to visit BHU hostels. Britishers knew what role was Kumbh playing in struggle for independence. At all points after 1857, Britishers kept a close watch at Kumbh to keep a track on nationalist activities. In 1942 when England was fighting World War II and was facing a heat of Japanese aggression on eastern front in the subcontinent, the Indian violent struggle was the last thing ot wanted. From Viceroy to a British sepoy stationes in India they knew what Kumbh gathering could trigger.

Hence, they again targeted the grand religiois fair and spread a rumour that Japan could drop a bomb at Sangam teerth. Using it as pretext, Britishers banned tickets to Prayagraj and the entry was highly restricted. It was a clear dissuade to narrow down the influx as real bombing threat could have entirely led to the suspension of event. On the contrary, what Britishers did was they restricted entry of people from outside.
Over 75 years have passed since we got Independence but the role of Maha Kumbh in Independence is forgotten in the pages of history and is deliberately not mentioned in history books of today. It was done with an intention to downplay their contribution.

While on part of Muslims, the Muslim League of Jinnah broke away on religious lines, Hindus never did the same and were intricately involved in freedom struggle. So to avoid writing Hindus’ role as more nationalistic and altruist than Muslim society which voted for partition all across India, the reak stories of Kumbh struggle and Pandit Radheshyam’s legacy were ommitted. One of the other reason behind this was Congress. Congress and their followers post independence made all attempts to shrink the national struggle around Gandhi and Nehru, no doubt they played an important role but mentioning the greater contribution of Hindus as a society could have exposed Congress’s secular narative and have highlighted the sacrifies made by Hindus which are taller than any pacifist contribution.

It is because of this ommission that many from leftist ecosytem still ask what had Hindus as a society contibuted. Therefore, it is time to revist our rich heritage, learn more about its role from time to time and feel proud about the sacrifies that we have made in getting independence and tell the world how history is not limited to some books that are written with an agenda and promoted by an ecosystem.