Indian Americans Experience Maha Kumbh’s Spiritual Power

By REENA RATHORE

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Maha Kumbh, a sacred convergence of faith, tradition, and spirituality, drew millions, including many Indian Americans, to Triveni Sangam—the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, India. For Indian American devotees at Chinmaya Mission Los Angeles, such as Kiran Swamy, Sundari Velayudhan, Rashmi Singh and Satya Pisipati, their journeys to this transformative event were marked by a shared sense of divine calling, personal revelations, and an undeniable urgency.

For Velayudhan, a resident of Irvine, CA, the pull to attend the Maha Kumbh felt powerful and inexplicable. “If it wasn’t predestined—the blessing of the Lord, of the older people, my well-wishers, my friends—this wouldn’t have happened,” she reflected. “I started reading about it, watching YouTube, learning about the astrological significance, the planetary alignment happening once in 144 years. And then I said, ‘Oh my God, I don’t think I’m going to be around for another 12 years. I’m already 75, and this is my last opportunity.’”

She found a willing companion in Rashmi Singh, a long-time member of Chinmaya Mission, who was already in India but had no plans to attend the Kumbh. “I said yes, without thinking about how we would manage,” Singh said.

For Satya Pisipati and Kiran Swamy, the pilgrimage held deep personal significance. Swamy, who viewed the event as a tradition-filled pilgrimage, remarked, “I was part of humanity’s largest collective with a common purpose, which was not to be born again.” Pisipati, initially hesitant about the journey, described feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency. “I can’t say for certain whether it was the realization that this was a once-in-a-multi-generation opportunity or something else—but the need to be there kept growing,” he shared.

The logistics of attending the Maha Kumbh were daunting but part of the unique experience.

Velayudhan’s journey, like many others, involved considerable effort. “Everything was booked weeks in advance. It all depended on how much one was willing to pay,” she said. Singh recalled navigating crowded waters but added, “It was not tiring at all.” 

For locals, the event was an economic boon. “The boatmen, whatever they make in one Kumbh Mela, they’re set for the next 12 years!” Velayudhan noted.

Despite the event’s massive scale, Pisipati found it surprisingly manageable, noting that strategic planning—avoiding peak rush days—made a significant difference. “There were people from all walks of life, all devotees and seekers—but there was no chaos,” he explained.

The grandeur of the event and its sheer scale left them in awe. The realization that they were just one among millions attending was humbling. “The feeling of oneness—I’ve never experienced anything like it. I’ve been to Char Dham, 12 Jyotirlingams, Kailash, Pashupatinath. This stands out as one mega event in my life. I can’t even compare it,” Velayudhan said. This sense of spiritual motivation rippled through her community, inspiring several of her friends and family members to attend the festival. Even Velayudhan’s husband, despite recently undergoing hip replacement surgery, later made his own pilgrimage to Maha Kumbh with friends. 

Swamy marveled at the event’s organized chaos, likening the movement of pilgrims to “human shoaling,” where millions flowed in synchronized motion toward a singular goal—liberation.

While Swamy was struck by the coordination and order within the crowds, Singh was moved by the unity among pilgrims. “In everyday life, we associate with certain groups—professionals with professionals, working class with working class. But here, there was no distinction, no subdivisions of any kind. People walked together, shared spaces, and focused on one goal—to bathe in the river,” Singh said.

This powerful energy was something shared across all of their experiences. Pisipati reflected on the spiritual significance of the event, particularly the “Pinda Pradanam” ritual, where he honored 32 of his ancestors. “I had the opportunity to offer my respects to my ancestors—both from my mother’s and father’s sides—under the guidance of a priest. Conducting these sacred rites at such a holy site, where very few from my family were able to, was deeply satisfying,” he said.

All four pilgrims felt the presence of a higher power guiding their journey. Singh, initially uncertain about taking the dip, experienced an unexpected force. “The first day, I just sprinkled some water on myself. But the second day, it was amazing. Like something unknown helped me take a dip… Somebody would hold our hand and put us on a boat,” she said, her voice full of gratitude. “We were not hungry, we were not tired. The weather was unusually nice—not too hot, not too sunny, just perfect.” 

For some like Swamy, it’s more than a ritual—it’s a response to the psychological toll of modern life. “I have seen that the cultural ecosystem can be very materialistic. If not for the inevitable existential crisis it produces in some human beings, it can be quite psychologically debilitating,” he said.

Having spent much of his adult life in the U.S., he now believes that for those seeking deeper meaning, India’s ancient spiritual traditions offer a path of inner transformation—beginning with a teacher, sacred texts, and time-honored practices like pilgrimages. “(Among these), the Purna Kumbh Mela is the most ancient. It is timed to occur after every jovian circumambulation of the Sun,” said Swamy.

Pisipati noted that navigating the event required personal adaptability and “you needed to use your own intelligence.” 

“It also required a fair amount of physical effort—long walks were inevitable, and flexibility in plans was essential due to changing routes, crowd control measures, and access restrictions,” he said.

For him, the experience didn’t end in Prayagraj. He brought back Sangam water, sharing it with friends and family so they could partake in the spiritual essence of the pilgrimage. “It was an immense sense of relief and satisfaction,” Pisipati said.