Random Musings - February 2025

One of those times when one has multiple things to say.

Maha Khumb 2025

This can be considered the largest (Hindu) religious and spiritual event in the universe.

Firstly, this was an event after 144 years unlike popular perception of once in 12 years. The definitions.

Once in

• 4 years – Khumb
• 6 years – Ardh Khumb
• 12 years – Poorna Khumb
• 144 years – Maha Khumb

In the 18th and 19th century the number of devotees who visited the Khumb varied between 0.5 to 2.5 Million – since public transportation those days did not exactly exist.

In the early 2000’s around 70 Million visited the Khumb and in 2013 about 120 Million devotees made this pilgrimage. I did this in Allahabad 2013 – purely by accident than design, and when I said as much, a police constable rebuked me rather sharply – you don’t come to the Ganga, Ganga maiyya (mother) calls you to visit her. Suitably chastened I understood the meaning of that phrase for the first time.

In 2013 when the Samajwadi Party was in power, the arrangements were good, the area by itself was kept clean and with more than 10 Million in attendance on the day we visited, the experience was unique. One was in a crowd yet stood apart with space. What was noticeable was, the Chairman of this event was Azam Khan. That in India a state govt could not find a single Hindu to be Chairman speaks of the secular politics practised. There is no religious organisation or event globally where the Chairman/ Leader, belongs to a different religion. In other religions that would be blasphemy and folks can get their heads cut off.

Post 2014 the Modi govt and the Yogi Govt in Uttar Pradesh meant that the holy city of Varanasi got a makeover, and Allahabad got a new name – Prayagraj. An event once in 144 years meant that the Yogi govt pulled out all stops to ensure success. 11 years of the Modi government meant that every Hindu who earlier preferred to cloak their identity, no longer did so. They wore their Hindu identity with pride. This created what one can only call a frenzy.

Over 660 Million people visited the 2025 Maha Khumb. To get a perspective.

• 5 times the visitors in 2013
• 47% of the Indian population
• 69% of the adult Indian population.
• 89% of the European population
• 2 times the USA population
• 8% of the world population

The numbers are staggering. That systems did not collapse totally is a miracle. True, there have been problems faced in terms of massive traffic jams, crowds, deaths etc but lets see it in perspective.

1. Population of Prayagraj is 1.6 million and Varanasi 2 Million.
2. Population of Prayagraj district is 6 Million with a density of 1,086 persons/ Sq Km.
3. Temporary city created for this event is 40 Sq Kms or 345,000 persons per Sq Km.
4. 660 Million visitors to the Maha Khumb, Prayagraj in 45 days
5. That is 14.7 Million average per day.
6. 2.3 times the total district population and 318 times the district density on DAILY basis.

One must analyse these data and then pass judgement.

Everybody knows dozens of people who visited the Maha Khumb and everybody spoke of the experience of faith. Pictures shared showed “space” between people in that crowd. None spoke of chaos, systemic collapse, dirtiness, etc. None had serious complaints. The city hosted with accommodation, food, water, holy dip – this tsunami of visitors. Anyone with a modicum of common sense and logic would be PROUD that India/ Bharat had hosted such an event successfully.

Unlike the abusive critics, the political leadership across opposition parties understand the magnitude of the event, its success. They are understandably terrified, and a chill has gone down the spine of every secular political party in India. That is why one hears vituperative comments by leaders and followers who are disconnected from reality and living in an echo chamber. Those with a stake in a political future and success understand and participated privately. 2029 is far away but the nation can expect a significant recalibration of secular politics amongst many in the opposition. Will be fun to watch.

These videos give a educative glimpse for those interested.

Maha Khumb 25 Video 1

Maha Khumb 25 Video 2

Maha Khumb 25 Video 3

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The Trump Armageddon

Remember?

1. Computerisation of railway reservation and banks!
2. Amazon, Flipkart!
3. Ola, Uber, Porter!
4. Urban Company, Pepperfry, Wakefit!
5. Booking, Netflix!
6. Mobiles/Smartphones/WhatsApp!
7. Swiggy, Zomato, BlinkIt!
8. UPI!

The list is long and each of them disrupted life as we knew it. When computers were introduced the banking and railway staff went on strike. When Mobiles came in, an American colleague asked – how did we find our cars and drivers earlier? Each of these tech solutions changed the way we had led life. We were scared, upset, angry even, but soon, we adjusted and today most of us cannot live without these. Many were affected, lost livelihoods but when automobiles came in, didn’t the horse drawn tongas lose livelihood? Increase in benefits and livelihoods is far beyond compare when one sees the number of self-employed folks driving 2 wheelers as they deliver everything from food to goods in minutes across every city.

Rarely if ever, one sees disruption in a country’s policies related to Political, Economic, Foreign relations and Defence. Changes, recalibration, yes, but disruption, no. Even then these are limited to one of the pillars but not all four simultaneously. That’s making history – with an unknown future. That’s exactly what Trump has done. Agree, Disagree, Abuse, Appreciate – the Americans have not only given him a huge mandate but so far nobody is exactly complaining except the status quoists and the old establishment. Many are cheering. Calling them names will only worsen things.

As I shared in my year end blog, we can only express an opinion and comment on what we see. We have little or no knowledge of what is transpiring behind closed doors between various world leaders. What we do know is that Trump has literally let the cat amongst the pigeons and going through the administration like a bull in a china shop. There will be collateral damages for sure, but this will be a major reset globally across all aspects.

The first casualty seems to be Europe which is chasing a mirage with its Nett Zero, Funding of Ukraine and cheerleading the war against Russia, buying gas from Russia till someone blew up the pipelines, free flow of immigrants who are given preference, humungous funding of immigrants which only resulted in more of them coming in etc etc. Trump is seemingly pulling the plug on everything from NATO to ignoring Europe and Ukraine while talking to Russia. JD Vance is giving them a lecture on their disastrous immigration and freedom of speech policies. Europe is now a divided union.

Simultaneously many a couples from other nations, sought a work assignment in USA only to give birth to children, who became American citizens, and then flying back home. As the children grew up they went back to USA as Americans with all the benefits. This was rudely jolted when this racket was shut down.

Illegal immigrants were identified, and plane loads sent back within days which demonstrated that the earlier USA Governments knew these people but had turned a blind eye. Funnily, the countries receiving them suddenly found criminals they were searching for amongst these returnees. That the action caused embarrassment to these nations is obvious and they are now trying to plug the holes created by agents of illegal human trafficking. It’s obvious both USA and the culprit nations were involved in this illegal human trafficking with a wink wink policy.

The Elon Musk team of 20 something nerds using AI trawled through American systems (call it illegal, inappropriate or whatever) and found huge data and evidence on how billions of dollars were being funded to various agencies for all kinds of shady activities outside the USA, globally. Some of the activities listed were bizarre and shocking. Millions spent on a NGO funding bat virus research at the Wuhan lab, LGBT group activism, Binary-gendered language, Gay men in Africa, feminist democratic principles, increase voter turnout in India etc. The organisation itself was shut down overnight. No “appropriate legal” method could have resulted in this expose in days.

His language to Hamas to release hostages was so brutal, they released some hostages and even made amends on some. He is now demanding that Gaza be made a vacation spot and all residents go live in other Muslim countries. Folks don’t know where to look and what to do. He has been walloping India on tariffs that India is surrendering even if with nominal changes.

Zelenskyy in Ukraine is blustering, threatening, cajoling, pleading all at the same time. Everybody says that Russia has an advantage, Chinese will breathe easy, India has a friend etc. The reality is that Trump loves himself, loves his own voice, is a deal maker, negotiator and a transaction specialist. All other stuff is just imagination running wild. Everybody will be hurt and unless they find ways to navigate his maze, they will stay hurt. Nobody is a friend but then nobody is an enemy either. One is either a buyer or seller. Trying to predict Trump is a fool’s game and those in positions of power globally will have to navigate this executive ordered chaos. Poker and Russian roulette are the games they need to be comfortable with when dealing with Trump.

At last count Trump had signed 73 executive orders and continuing. His detractors have no clue where to look, what to fight, which to protest given the tsunami of decisions and policies.

Way back in 1991 when India ushered in disruptive economic reforms, we thought the country was doomed by that disruptive economic change. Over time we realised that nothing had changed, we still had the same set of challenges – except they were at a different level, scale, orbit. The more things change, the more they remain the same is a philosophy that is likely to apply to even the Trump Armageddon.