Nashik: Saints and seers have expressed strong dissatisfaction over the preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela to be held in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. At a meeting of the Sant Samiti held in Nashik, several sadhus and mahants questioned the administration’s approach towards the ongoing preparations and raised serious doubts over whether the various projects would be completed within the scheduled timeframe.
During the meeting, the saints reportedly expressed disappointment over the progress of Kumbh Mela-related works and said that they were deeply concerned about the current situation. They questioned whether the administration would be able to complete the required infrastructure and other arrangements before the commencement of the mega religious gathering.
“We are disappointed with the way the Kumbh Mela-related work is being handled,” was the sentiment expressed during the meeting. A senior saint also recalled that he had personally urged the Chief Minister to intervene and pay attention to the preparations.
The saints expressed strong displeasure over what they described as the deteriorating condition of preparations for the Kumbh Mela. Some mahants associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Sadhu-Sant Samiti reportedly voiced their dissatisfaction with the manner in which the administration has been handling the arrangements.
Coordination issues questioned
A major issue raised during the meeting was the alleged lack of coordination between officials in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. The saints reportedly alleged that inadequate coordination between the two administrative centres was adversely affecting the overall preparations and had created difficulties for Nashik.
The participants questioned whether the administration was functioning with a unified strategy for the Kumbh Mela, particularly when Nashik and Trimbakeshwar are both central to the event.
One of the mahants, while expressing his views, said that he was a supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but added that the present situation required him to speak frankly.
He reportedly said that there was now no alternative but to speak the truth about the preparations and the prevailing situation.
“Nashik Kumbh has completely failed”
The criticism became particularly sharp when one of the saints described the preparations for the Nashik Kumbh Mela as a “complete failure.”
The mahant reportedly said that he was making the statement despite being prepared to apologise to the government for his remarks, but felt compelled to speak openly about the situation.
The strong criticism from the saints and mahants has added to the challenges before the administration, which is already working on a large number of infrastructure and civic projects ahead of the Kumbh Mela.
The Nashik–Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela is expected to attract a massive number of devotees, saints and pilgrims. Ensuring timely completion of infrastructure projects, effective coordination between departments, crowd management, sanitation, transportation, water supply, accommodation and other essential facilities remains a major responsibility for the administration.
The strong reactions at the Sant Samiti meeting indicate that the religious leadership is closely monitoring the preparations and expects the government and administration to accelerate the work and address coordination-related issues immediately.
With the Kumbh Mela approaching, the criticism from the saints is likely to put additional pressure on the state government and local administration to demonstrate visible progress on the ground and ensure that the arrangements meet the expectations of the saint community and millions of devotees expected to attend the event.
