To Be or Not to Be: On the Eve of the Great Bathing

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If you’re new to the Maha Kumbh Mela, you may want to start with my earlier posts:
Madness or Faith? A Pilgrimage to the Maha Kumbh Mela explores the initial plunge into the spiritual chaos,
while Exploring Hinduism’s Greatest Festival – Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 dives deeper into the rituals, symbolism, and scale of the event.

The Word Sets Things in Motion

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word broke free and continued to sparkle and play.

Following what had already become a tradition, I began to loosen the leash on the decisions I constantly made. While the question of the night bath remained open, I surrendered to the flow of events. I trusted more and more in the space around my friend, who subtly picked up information from everywhere, generating optimal decisions, and me.

No, I don’t think I was so charmed by him that my mind distorted reality. Kirill genuinely thought clearly and pragmatically in any situation. Combined with his refined sensitivity and impeccable manners, he won more and more of my sympathy and warm regard.

Change of Plans and a Cold Night

The official agreement with our team was to meet at the camp closer to midnight on January 29 to head toward the bathing area. However, the number of pilgrims was growing exponentially. By around 10 p.m., we finally received an update from the camp. Please read the beginning of the story.

“Guys, stay where you are. You won’t be able to reach the camp now,” Mykola informed us.

So, our friends set out toward the confluence of the three sacred rivers — the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati — as part of an organized group from the camp where they had spent the last two days. Our prospects remained unclear, but I lay down to sleep with relief.

The idea of walking through dusty, cold darkness among an infinite number of unknowns didn’t excite me. Kirill seemed to share my feelings, and I felt solidarity. It was as if something above was shielding us from unnecessary trials.

A Dangerous Night for Others

Around 6 a.m., Mykola contacted us again and said they had failed to reach the bathing site. What was usually a 30-minute walk had turned into a 3-hour ordeal. Later, in conversation, he shared what he had experienced that night.

The fear of being crushed was so intense that everyone was internally prepared for any outcome. The procession was eventually stopped — too many people had died in the crowd.

Yet amidst this, he witnessed remarkable scenes of mercy and humanity. One very small, thin man, bald and dressed only in a loincloth, was dragging a disabled person, presumably his friend, toward the bathing site.

These images brought to life the faithful, unfathomable India — full of hope, faith in miracles, and belief in a fairytale of salvation. It was honest, touching, and fragile. Imagine a cold, dusty grey morning, a massive crowd that hardly moved, and in this human anthill walked the old, the sick, the crippled, ascetics of all kinds — and our friends. God appeared in many forms and scenarios. For some, that day was their last — never rewarded with the longed-for moksha. Thoughts and feelings swirled in the minds and souls. It was enough material for a good philosophical story.

Morning Comes and Decisions Are Made

A New Day, a New Option

But back to our story. The next morning, after sleeping well and having breakfast, the most comfort-loving members of our team—yours truly and Kirill—once again faced not a dilemma since the decision to bathe had already been made but the need to solve logistical issues.

And once again, Maharaja — that charismatic man, who, I hope, will forgive my comparison — popped up like a jack-in-the-box, invisibly guiding us on this adventure. After the previous night’s trials, Nastya spoke through Mykola’s mouth, recalling the boat as one of the more convenient ways to perform the bathing.

I must say, Kirill and I had been in agreement on this idea from the start. The boat had always been in the air, but our friends’ enthusiasm and willingness to take the more difficult path prevented this option from being taken seriously.

Pilgrim Crowds and Hope

The Word truly took off. The idea that we could receive our portion of moksha without much effort danced joyfully in my restless mind.

It felt like an eternity had passed since we arrived in Prayagraj, though it was only the morning of the third day—so densely packed were the events. We reached the guru’s headquarters, where Nastya, Sveta, and Mykola stayed. The crowds of pilgrims moving past gave us hope that at least some of those longing for salvation had already completed their bathing.

We weren’t certain — according to the latest information, the column our friends were in hadn’t reached the site — but the appearance of the pilgrims told a different story. Women carrying heavy bundles on their heads, men drying their clothes on the go, and many containers of water, presumably from the sacred rivers — all of this supported our assumpHolding hands tightly, we pushed through the crowds, which formed inseparable human chains, especially at intersections.

The Long-Awaited Bathing

A Moment of Peace Before the Sacred Act

For the first time in two days at the Maha Kumbh Mela, we finally reached the pavilion where our friends had spent two nights. The sun was shining brightly, and the camp was calm, though in the air, there was a sense of preparation for the main event, already demanding many sacrifices.

As it turned out, Mykola hadn’t wasted any time and had managed to arrange a boat. This news calmed our group, and the last hour and a half passed in peaceful anticipation. However, at the last moment, as often happens in India, plans abruptly changed. We were informed that we wouldn’t be able to reach the boat, and the original plan was back on — to go in an organized column toward the Ganges.

There was some uncertainty about what to wear for the bath and what to take with us, as the flow of people at the site was said to be continuous. It wasn’t clear how or where to leave our clothes while bathing.

A Quiet, Powerful Experience

Events then unfolded quickly and without drama. We reached the Ganges quite easily, and there was no crowding on the riverbank. People entered the sacred waters in calm, organized groups.

I couldn’t have imagined that I would swim in the Ganges and perform a ritual bath on one of the most powerful dates — one that occurs only once every 144 years. For me, who hadn’t even planned to come to India, held vague and not very positive views of Hinduism, and had never considered bathing in the Ganges — it became a profound experience.

The water was cool, but I didn’t want to leave it. That’s how, paradoxically, things turned out. Immediately after the bath, I felt a surge of energy, which soon became a sharp fatigue. Only later did my energy return to its usual state.

I mention this because, in my ordinary life, I’m not a practitioner of any energetic techniques. But something beyond you seems to happen in places like this — where millions’ will, energy, and devotion concentrate.

Return and Reflection

Relief followed, and joy from what had finally happened. We returned to the camp in the same organized group, then to our apartments for one last night before heading to another, no less significant place—the city of death, Varanasi

Continue the Journey
• Read Part 1 – Madness or Faith? A Pilgrimage to the Maha Kumbh Mela
• Discover Part 2 – Exploring Hinduism’s Greatest Festival – Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

Articles in This Series

Table Of Contents
  1. The Word Sets Things in Motion
  2. Change of Plans and a Cold Night
  3. A Dangerous Night for Others
  4. Morning Comes and Decisions Are Made
  5. The Long-Awaited Bathing
  6. Return and Reflection
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