Attending Maha Kumbh Has Turned Into A Trend For Some: Muskaan Agarwal

Muskaan Agarwal, who is seen in the web series Shraap, has lived for six years in Allahabad and even completed her studies from there. She shared that living there gave her a deep understanding and firsthand experience of the city and its cultural significance.

Sharing her thoughts on the Maha Kumbh, she said, "During my time there, I had the opportunity to attend the Kumbh Mela, which is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. However, I do not enjoy being a part of large crowds, especially when many people are attending just because of the hype."

"The Maha Kumbh, which holds deep religious and spiritual importance, has unfortunately turned into a trend for some. Many people go there not out of true devotion but simply because it is a popular event," she added.

She feels that the Maha Kumbh received so much hype not necessarily because of the spiritual beliefs but because of social media. She said, "In reality, if someone genuinely wants to seek the blessings of the holy Ganga, they can ask their relatives or friends who are attending to bring back Gangajal for them. But instead of focusing on spirituality, many people use the occasion to show off on social media. They post pictures and videos, making it more about gaining attention than about faith or devotion."

"I have already been to the Sangam and taken a holy dip there, so I understand the significance of the place. However, in recent times, social media has been flooded with reports of mismanagement at the event," she added.

Muskaan stressed that when she had visited earlier, things were not as chaotic as they seem to be now. "Unfortunately, mainstream media is not highlighting the real issues that need attention. There are increasing cases of children going missing in the crowd, and many elderly parents are being abandoned there by their families. Instead of addressing these serious concerns, people are getting overly obsessed with irrelevant things," she said.

"A recent example is the unnecessary hype around Monalisa, the so-called 'viral girl' whose eyes have caught public attention. It is baffling how people are focusing on such trivial matters while ignoring the pressing issues surrounding the event," she added.

She also highlighted the lack of arrangements available for the middle class and below and said, "The facilities available for the common public, especially the poor and middle-class attendees, are extremely inadequate. When wealthy and influential figures like Ambani Ji visit, everything is well-organised for them. Arrangements are made to ensure their comfort and convenience, but the general public continues to struggle."

"There are no proper amenities for them, making their pilgrimage unnecessarily difficult. Even more concerning is the fact that numerous people lost their lives in a stampede, yet the issue has been buried and forgotten.

I firmly believe in Bhagwan and the power of faith, but I also believe that nowhere in any religious scripture is it written that one must go through hardships and suffering to worship God. True devotion comes from the heart. If one's faith is sincere and their belief in God is strong, their prayers and wishes will be fulfilled, regardless of whether they attend such events or not. Religion and spirituality should be about inner peace and connection with the divine, not about blindly following trends or putting oneself through unnecessary trouble," she ended.