Gangasagar versus Kumbh: Why BJP and TMC are at war over peace-promoting melas

Kumbh, Pushkaram, Gangasagar Mela promote social interaction, harmony and unity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed in the 118th episode of his radio address, Mann Ki Baat, on January 1.

With millions pouring out at the mela venues, while there is no denying these religious fairs transcend boundaries, the increasing religiosity in Indian politics has turned the events into spectacles of competitive Hindutva, which are doing anything but fostering unity.

The war of words which ensued between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP over the Gangasagar and Kumbh melas in the run up to the twin events is a case in point.

When faith takes a dip in water

According to Hindu belief, a holy dip in the Ganga at the confluence of the river and the sea in and around the Makar Sankranti day (that commemorates Sun’s entrance into the astrological sign of makara or Capricorn, as per Hindu astrology. Astronomically, the day marks the sun’s journey from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere) absolves one of their sins and leads to salvation.

According to Hindu belief, a holy dip in the Ganga at the confluence of the river and the sea in and around the Makar Sankranti day absolves one of their sins and leads to salvation.

A holy bath at Kumbh held every six years, and Mahakumbh held every 12 years at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj liberates one from the cycle of birth and rebirth — the ultimate goal of a Hindu.

From the intensity of the attritions, it appears as though the twin events were the respective showpiece of the two warring parties to showcase who had a bigger commitment to the Hindu cause.

Pulling all stops to ensure a hassle-free holy dip at the confluence of Ganga and the Bay of Bengal for millions of devotees, West Bengal’s ruling dispensation, the TMC, claimed that such spectacular arrangements were not made at any other religious gathering in the country.

Pegging the footfall at the Gangasagar Mela that concluded on January 17 at a record 1.10 crore, senior TMC leader and West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas dubbed the fair as the “best in the country”.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while demanding the “national fair” status for the event, claimed that Gangasagar Mela is even bigger than the Kumbh held in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

Not to give any opportunity to the TMC to score brownie points over a Hindu religious event, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar pooh-poohed the state government’s contention. He insisted that arrangements at Kumbh were far better and that the West Bengal government did not cooperate with the Centre in organising the event.

“We will grant national mela status to Gangasagar the day the BJP comes to power in West Bengal,” he added.

Another BJP leader and co-incharge of the party's West Bengal unit Amit Malviya drawing parallel between the two events stated in an X post: “While the Maha Kumbh Mela is making headlines globally, drawing millions to Prayagraj for the Amrit Snan, Ganga Sagar Mela remains overlooked. The arrangements for pilgrims are inadequate, exposing the Bengal administration’s apathy and lack of planning.”

Not many who visited Gangasagar this year would agree with Malviya about inadequate arrangements.

Real-time tracking and crowd management, enhanced healthcare arrangements with setting up of five temporary hospitals with a combined capacity of 130 beds and a strong communication infrastructure were some of the initiatives taken to make the event a seamless experience and incident free.

Use of Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) technology, comprising seven satellites and a network of ground stations to track all vessels and buses carrying pilgrims, QR code wristbands for elderly and minor pilgrims and e-Anusandhan initiative whereby pilgrims could access detailed information and directions to essential facilities by simply scanning a QR code using their mobile devices were among the technological interventions.

An insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh (in case of unnatural death) for pilgrims was also extended.

The good work, the religious essence of the event and threats posed to it by climate change were all overshadowed by the political flashpoint to woo Hindus clearly eyeing at next year’s assembly elections.

A slide to soft-Hindutva has been the TMC’s response to the BJP’s aggressive Hindu nationalism. As part of the well-crafted strategy, Mamata Banerjee’s party never missed an opportunity to play the Hindu card against the BJP.

Construction of a state-funded Jagannath temple in Digha, redevelopment of several Hindu pilgrim centres across the state, Banerjee’s oft-repeated assertion of her Hindu identity at public meetings and recitation of religious slokas are all aimed at increasing the TMC’s Hindu quotient vis-à-vis the BJP.

By crying foul at the BJP-led central government for its alleged apathy towards the country’s second largest Hindu congregation after Kumbh, the TMC once again tried to beat the BJP in its own game. Importantly for the party, it succeeded in it to a large extent, forcing the BJP to scurry to defence.

The melting island

The larger issue of safeguarding the Sagar Island, the venue of the Gangasagar mela, from the onslaught of erosion and rising sea level, was unfortunately lost in the din of political one-upmanship.

Sagar Island, on the southern fringe of West Bengal, has evidently turned into a literal instance of climate change.

Triggered by climate change, the rising sea has reached within 450 metres of the Kapil Muni Temple. It now takes barely a five-minute walk to reach the Bay of Bengal from the iconic temple.

Triggered by climate change, the rising sea has reached within 450 metres of the Kapil Muni Temple.

Rapidly advancing coastline due to climate change-induced sea level rise, storm surges, and increased coastal erosion have crept to within 450 metres of iconic Kapil Muni Temple on the island. It now takes barely a five-minute walk to reach the Bay of Bengal from the iconic temple.

The temple dedicated to sage Kapila, according to legend, was first built by Queen Satyabhama in 430 AD. A deity was believed to have been installed in the temple by Swami Ramanand in 1437.

The current structure is a recent one and it has a stone block, considered to be the representation of Sage Kapil. The original site of the temple was washed away by the sea long ago. The current structure was built in 1974.

This structure too is on the verge of being washed away now. Not only that, the sea has also eroded several bathing ghats.

To combat the threat, the state government prepared a detailed project report (DPR) with the help of IIT-Madras. But the project is yet to take off due to lack of financial assistance from the Centre.

The state government is now planning to fund the project itself and has also approached the Netherlands government for technical advice.

If that happens, the TMC will have one more talking-point to counter the BJP’s Hindutva.