The majestic Mahakumbh is underway with full fervour and enthusiasm in devotees. On a daily basis, millions are taking a holy dip in Triveni Sangam, the pious confluence of River Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. 13 Akharas, Naga Sadhus, one million Kalpavasis, at par arrangements and what not have converged at one place but what is getting viral in social media is completely averse to the spirit of Mahakumbh.
Rather than showing the spiritual, religious side of Mahakumbh and unparalleled stories of devotions, the reportage so far has been predominantly nothing sort of theatre of absurd with less interest in the symbolism of this mega religious gathering, the confluence of Sanyasis, the greatest Sangam of Hindu Dharma and greater interest in recording “viral reel content”.
Meet IITian Baba at the Maha Kumbh, who did Aerospace Engineering from IIT Bombay but left everything for spirituality.
Meanwhile, illiterate Leftists and Seculars mock Sanatanis.pic.twitter.com/wEbTzIpnNs
— Manish | News&Reviews (@ManishM918) January 17, 2025
Also Read: Maha Kumbh Mela: Where Rituals and Holy Dips Embody the Soul of India’s Spiritual Legacy
मुझे क्यों तोड़ा आईआईटी वाले बाबा, इतना मेहनत से कांग्रेसी मुझे पॉलिश करके चमकाया था :- महात्मा गांधी 😉 #कुंभमेळा #कुंभ_प्रयागराज #kumbh2025 #IITBaba #IITWaleBaba #IITianBaba pic.twitter.com/KROowPzDH5
— विशाल शर्मा 🚩 (@VoiceOf_Vishal) January 18, 2025
Currently, IIT Baba is in the limelight, not because he is a baba who is seeking emancipation but because he left a prestigious career and comes from ultra-modern, technologically advanced IIT Bombay. Abhay Singh, as is his name, was recently seen criticising his gurus in Juna Akhada after he was ousted. Every media house is reaching out to him to get his exclusive to ace the TRP game without even knowing what his spiritual qualifications are. He sought emancipation and left materialistic life for being ascetic and now he is garnering more attention. Are basics of emancipation and renunciation even clear to these journalists covering Abhay Singh or even to IIT Baba himself? Or was it just a stunt?
Mahadev tell me that you are The Avatar of Bhagwan Vishnu. People must believe me without proving it, there’s no meaning in believing that after proving
~ Abhay Singh, IIT Baba
Bro got some attention by our M!ndless media & started saying I am God 😂
pic.twitter.com/IpGPg8UFqb— Veena Jain (@DrJain21) January 20, 2025
And he is not the only one, social media influencer Harsha Richhariya was addressed as the most beautiful Sadhvi. The modern day media, which has downgraded to lowest for TRP and numbers, has no iota of sense as to how to address them.
Although, Richhariya is also to be blamed as she got artificial Jattas (hairs) and dressed up like one which also seems to be an attempt to get attention but eventually she is an influencer and she can’t be blamed for what she always does. It’s the media which is to be blamed as it is covering the mega event but does not know the difference between a deeksha for a Sadhvi and a simple guru deeksha.
महाकुंभ में Viral Sadhvi Harsha Richhariya ने क्या कहा?
🔸महाकुंभ में साध्वी हर्षा के कई वीडियो जमकर हो रहे हैं वायरल#MahaKumbh2025 #MahaKumbh #Prayagraj #PrayagrajMahakumbh2025 #ShortsVideo #HarshaRichhariya #kumbh #kumbhmela2025prayagraj #MahaKumbhMela #MakarSankranti pic.twitter.com/oJtPAGiwIX
— The Quiver हिन्दी (@TheQuiverhindi) January 14, 2025
Harsha Richhariya at Maha Kumbh: From Glamour to Sadhvi-The debate unfolds!
Watch: https://t.co/ivzxJxCxzm | #BusinessToday #MahaKumbh2025 #Sadhvi #Kumbhfluencers #DigitalCulture pic.twitter.com/Qq0nCHdYIi
— Business Today (@business_today) January 15, 2025
मीडिया के सामने पोल न खुल जाए परेशान संत जी ने चिमटा मारे और फिर खदेड़ा भी 😃😃😃
Mahakumbh 2025#MahaKumbh #paushpurnima #Shahisnan #Prayagraj #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/9WVptfV9ka
— Journalist Dharmendra singh (@Dharmen66780455) January 13, 2025
In fact, most of them wouldn’t even know what deeksha means. Then there are aspiring journalists who tread along a very thin line of social media influencing and journalism. They aspire to be journalists but seek attention on social media as some influencer. On one hand, we can see reports about IIT Baba, Harsha flooding the news cycle, then there are these mischievous journalists who are doing everything at their command to provoke an unusual response from real Babas. For this, they have been literally harassing Babas, posing nonsensical questions or should I say these journalists try to ridicule their method of devotion. They lack sincerity and wisdom as to how to pose spiritual, religious questions and on some occasions have ended up getting beaten up.
One Sadhu was sitting on thorns in Mahakumbh.
Reporter (not a blind one): Babaji are these thorns real?
Sadhu Maharaj blessed him with a slap.
Right Treatment at the Right time! 😌 pic.twitter.com/miW0SGcyeU
— Āyudhika (@Ayudhika1310) January 17, 2025
The concern these developments raise is how the entire world of news and internet has degraded itself. What differentiates between a human and an animal is a sense of wisdom, discipline and knowledge.
A little emphasis on what we are being fed exposes where we, as humans, are heading. The TRP hungry media is deliberately cherry picking and highlighting those who can make their buffet vibrant and attractive. Whole Khumbh is being depicted as some circus where daily a new baba like Golden Baba, IIT Baba, Most beautiful Sadhvi, Computer Baba, etc are shown but the real ones, the kalpavasis who are braving the chilly winter along the banks of rivers for days are entirely missing.
Girl named Monalisa who sells Garland in Prayagraj KumbhaMele ripes of heroines in Beauty.
Her Caramel Eye and Dusky Skin makes her look more like more beautiful
Those who spend 10000’s of rupees for face are nil infront of her.#Monalisa #KumbhMela #Prayagraj pic.twitter.com/pfXHL6rihw— ಬಬ್ರುವಾಹನ (@Paarmatma) January 18, 2025
The real question is to the public, what are you watching? Is it even worth watching? There is no conclusion to this story apart from the fact that the entire system is a one way road where viewers have no say, in fact, with such constant garbage their understanding of media would be shaped like that and the whole media relevance will die down. As far as Kumbh is concerned, those sincere enough would not even give a damn about what these rag tag journalist cum influencers have to say. Rather, there is an entire realm of Kumbh that is completely different from what is shown on camera and that would uphold its sanctity, importance and reverence.
