Tragedy at the Kumbh: A Moment for Reflection and Remembrance

NOTE: For those concerned, I am safe — I was not at the Kumbh at the time of the stampede. Thanks for your concern.

Just weeks ago, I stood at the banks of the Sangam with my friends, wrapped in the soft riverine mist and the sheer immensity of faith around us. The Kumbh Mela is a spectacle like no other — a living, breathing river of devotion where millions come seeking peace, renewal, and a connection to something greater than themselves. We walked the sandy paths, marveled at the sheer scale of humanity moving as one, and felt the quiet pull of something ancient and sacred.

And yet, this week, that same river of faith turned into a scene of unimaginable heartbreak and tragedy at the kumbh. A stampede at the Kumbh has crushed lives, leaving behind grief where there should have been only devotion. My heart is heavy thinking of the very place where we stood, the same paths where we dawdled along happily talking to our friends, and greeting strangers is now trampled with the pain of chaos and loss. The very act of coming together, which makes the Kumbh so special, can also, in an instant, turn deadly.

The simple facts as reported — “On January 29, 2025, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, a tragic stampede occurred in the early morning hours as pilgrims gathered for a…