I could see two deeply interlinked aspects between human and water in #MahaKumbh2025. Firstly, the HOPE that a ‘holy dip’ in the River Ganga (colloquially referred as dubki and spiritually as ‘Snan’) will cleanse oneself (especially the sins); and secondly, the TRUST that the water is pure to perform the cleansing alias living the hope. Well, I consider hope to be self-dependent while, trust is a multi-party dependent situation. The focus here is on the trust and I shall write later on hope.
On the one hand, we have trust deficit in India not only in economic and election aspects but otherwise also; however, on the other hand, there is significant trust bestowed on certain things especially those driven by religion and nationalism. I saw a glimpse of that trust we have. Firstly, at an institute canteen where I taught recently. A pack of full of prasad (rice and sugar flakes) in plastic pouches and a jug full of ‘Ganga Jal’ were offered to the students by an institute official. Almost every student (during my observation) picked the plastic pouch and consumed the water by performing the ritual they are habituated with i.e., sipping (referred as ‘Aachman’) and/or sprinkling the water on their head-forehead. Then, at the #MahaKumbh2025, when millions of people took the holy dip, left, right, and center with great devotion towards Ma Ganga.
Well, for students a spoon of water on the palm may have looked transparent (a normal indicator of clean). By all means and rightfully so, they trusted the water as ‘pure’ as ‘Ganga Jal’ is meant to be. Since, not many students are educated and enlightened about water matters in such kinds of institutes, being ignorant about the water pollution news in #MahaKumbh2025 seems ok. However, it doesn’t seem ok when millions of people who reached Allahabad-Prayagraj for the #MahaKumbh2025 despite seeing through their naked eyes the water of Ganga-Yamuna to be dirty (including floating wastes of puja and people), chose to trust the divine power of Ganga (may be rightfully so) as self-cleansing and showed a kind of unsaid unquestioned trust towards the system that organized the mega event, the supposedly the world's largest human gathering. The thought or concern about the pollution of ‘Ganga Jal’ was barely raised by those millions and rather buried in the sheer trust on religious (spiritual?) beliefs and the mela management. The trust was ofcourse fueled by very good media management of the event.
As I was at the institute to teach the science of research and at the #MahaKumbh2025 to carry out a mini research (as part of Water Fest 2025 by WforW Foundation), my scientific temperament intrigues to find peoples’ knowledge about water in general and in specific the quality but in this case, it is on the trust that we bestow on certain things provided by the system and the society. Our "fundamental right to clean water" is part of the "Right to Life" guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution allows us to demand clean water and seek accountability of polluted water from the government. It is a duty of the government to ensure to its citizens provision, management and maintenance of clean under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The "duty to provide clean water" is derived from the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (last amended in 2003) also mandates the government with a responsibility to prevent water pollution and ensure the wholesomeness of water sources. The state is empowered with levy and collection of a cess to perform its duty with The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977.
Considering that the rising water pollution is now a common concern amongst both the state and the society. However, the citizenry (from the most educated to the uneducated) being majorly naïve towards the water matters and their water rights, the trust factor between the state and the society over provision of water got naturalized over the years. So, when the pollution matter is raised in the #MahaKumbh2025 both science and politics are at play. But, when the belief of the people on ‘Ganga Jal’ as pure or purifying is naturalized, a question then is, whether the trust of the people on the provision of ‘good’ water quality bring more responsibility to the authority? Should science and politics be more responsible to hold the trust? Should media be investigative and share the right information to hold the trust? Did that really happen? happening? Seems, not really! But still, do we wish to trust that,
We, from the People to the PM and the President, did not take a Holy Dip in some Holy Shit.
People and Water Management at #MahaKumbh2025
In the supposedly world's largest human gathering, according to official statement, over 60 crore devotees have taken a holy dip by February 22nd at the #MahaKumbh2025 in just over a month since its start on January 14th and the number is expected to surpass by 65 crore by the final ‘Amrit Snan’ on February 26th during Maha Shivratri. I am unaware whether there was any science and technology applied to calculate the quantity of people coming to Allahabad-Prayagraj as claimed by the authorities (and media) as one crore people visiting per day. However, I am aware that there are definite science and technology applied to calculate the quantity and quality of the water that flows regularly into any river and will flow in the Triveni Sangam and its environs encompassing the River Ganga and River Yamuna during the #MahaKumbh2025. While the quantity and quality of water are interdependent, the issue contested in the last few days at the #MahaKumbh2025 is the water quality in the rivers, Ganga and Yamuna, and their Sangam in Allahabad-Prayagraj.
First, the Ganga water pollution news was groundbreaking as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) slammed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) based on the report by the Central Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) on hearing a Public Interest Litigation (filed by former Indian Police Service officer and political activist Amitabh Thakur). Immediately in couple of days, the news of clean germ-free Ganga is groundbreaking too by the office of the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh backed by the UPPCB and Uttar Pradesh Prayagraj Mela Authority further backed by some scientists from University of Allahabad.
So much contradicting “groundbreaking” (media loves this word) revelations that even tests and trust are put to toss.
This time it is interesting since the tussle on water quality information at the #MahaKumbh2025 is between the science and politics of the governmental bodies. While the CPCB informed the NGT that various locations in Prayagraj during the ongoing #MahaKumbh2025 are not conforming to the primary water quality for bathing with respect to the level of faecal coliform (that generates from human-animal excreta). The UP Government issued a release, quoting scientists to "debunk doubts" about the purity of Ganga water at the #MahaKumbh2025 and asserted that Ganga water in UP’s Prayagraj was as pure "as alkaline water." They have repeatedly reinstated that the water at Sangam is fit for taking a bath keeping in view the current set of data.
Since, Uttar Pradesh has a double-engine government and since the mega event is considered as a big economic venture. It also claimed the pollution to be baseless allegations or circulating “fake news” against “Sanatan Dharma”, “Maa Ganga, “Maha Kumbh” is like playing with the faith of the crores of people. According to the government statement based on senior scientist Ajay Kumar Sonkar (a Padma Shri Awardee 2022) research (which research? Unavailable in google), “Ganga water contains 1,100 types of bacteriophages (natural viruses that eliminate harmful bacteria), there is a self-purifying mechanism that ensures the river to remain uncontaminated even after 60 crore devotees have taken a dip." Now what bothers me about trust is that the same scientist talked about serious micro-plastic pollution just 5 months ago. Another senior scientist from Centre of Environmental Science at the University of Allahabad, Prof Umesh Kumar Singh, has challenged the CPCB claim of water pollution citing that the data used by them is incomplete.
The contestation makes the situation worth testing the trust bestowed by the people from the cultural, religious and spiritual angle. Though science and technology must and supposed to inform the society about the water quality, it seems what information will come out eventually comes down to (dominated by) politics (and supported by media). This can be said from the countless people continuing to reach Allahabad-Prayagraj for the holy dip even after the grave stampede massacre at the #MahaKumbh2025 and in Delhi station, trains-buses cancelled-delayed, traffic jams, and all the on-site inconveniences, and ofcourse despite the alarming level of water pollution which people can see but not seize to complain in their rush to holy dip for self-purification.
“An ancient medical text, the Charak Samhita, asserts that Ganga water is pure and sacred. It is a major drinking water source, as no germs, bacteria, or fungi can survive in it,” cites NGT judgement in 2017. Ganga is undoubtedly one of India's holiest rivers and for eons its waters are known to possess some so called 'magical' properties that ensure that its waters don't spoil even when stored for years. This is referred as the self-cleansing property of the river. The ‘non-putrefying properties of Ganga water' has been backed by science on presence of significantly higher proportion of organisms with antibacterial properties though the river remains below the BIS Drinking Water Quality Standards. At the same time, its pure form has been challenged by the science especially, in the downstream of Haridwar making River Ganga among the most polluted rivers on earth.
Yes, the rivers flow clean but the pollution fills from the discharge of untreated sewage from rapidly growing cities along its banks, industrial waste, and the dumping of human and animal carcasses. Ganga is among the most polluted rivers in the world in terms of plastic pollution from its source to sea. We see pollution in all the nalas and rivers especially in urban areas and Allahabad-Prayagraj is no different. Also, a simple common-sense situation, if the feeder rivers that flow into Ganga, say Yamuna, are polluted then how can Ganga stay pure and not polluted. So, my simple logical inquiry is on seeking a logistical accountability on this. What is causing trust deficit is the government release orders remain unanswered on the claims and the concerns raised by the CPCB and NGT on the discharge of wastewater from several drains into the river, the Sewage Treatment Plants running beyond their capacity, solid waste dumping, open defecation, onsite sanitation issues, that are contributing to the water pollution. I am suffering from trust deficit in the information sharing on these aspects.
In the battle between the center and the state Pollution Control Boards over Ganga water quality during #MahaKumbh2025, it is important to note that not many scientists are claiming the river water to be clean whereas, there are ample studies from the past that expressed concerns over the water pollution. In that case, there has to some extraordinary efforts put in the last few months to ensure clean water, for example, according to Dainik Bhaskar, there is a continuous supply of drinking water supply into the river.
It is important for us to know that for a river to remain clean and healthy, it is essential to address chemical pollution, preserve biodiversity, and ensure the efficient operation of machinery that treats discharged water. For a river to remain clean, it has to flow. If Ganga continues to flow and its ecosystem is restored on a large scale, it will remain clean on its own and regain those unique characteristics for which the River Ganga is worshiped/revered as Holy and referred as Maa/Maiyya.
In addition, it is important for us to know the basics of water quality and use that the country adheres to. The basics of water quality norms are formulated by the Central Pollution Control Board for the designated best use with 6 class of water quality entailed with some physico-chemical criteria.
 |
| Source: https://cpcb.nic.in/water-quality-criteria/ |
गंगा नदी और गीता – गंगा कहती है – मेरी निर्मलता का आधार मेरी अविरलता है. अध्याय 18, श्लोक 33 (गीता: 33). Meaning,
Says Ganga, “The basis of my purity is my flow”. 18: 33 Gita
गंगा की निर्मलता के लिए उसका अविरल बहना जरूरी.
गंगा की अविरलता में निर्मलता बनाए रखना सभी का सर्वोच्च.
Meaning with reference to Ganga and all waterbodies, for clean water, flow is vital and keeping the flow for clean water is prime for all.
Rivers’ natural flow is what keeps them clean — but is it enough for Ganga to self-purify? A traditional that interlinks flow and purity is:
अविरलता में निर्मलता meaning, purity in continuity for free flow and cleanliness of the Ganga.
A colloquial phrase strengthens it further,
मानो तोह मैं गंगा माँ हूँ, न मानो तो बहता पानी meaning, you may consider me mother, if not a flowing water.
Water Quality, Rights and Ruckus
The trust about Ganga River being clean and the system treating the peoples’ generated wastewater to keep the river clean is a complex intertwined issue.
Looking at the everyday city of Allahabad-Prayagraj of around 16 Lakh population from the wastewater scenario provides a crystal-clear answer (clearer than the river water) to what must be happening at the #MahaKumbh2025. It was already noted in mid-2024 that the city was discharging a substantial amount of untreated wastewater into the Ganga-Yamuna through its numerous drains. According to an official statement of the UP government, about 471.93 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage is generated in Prayagraj daily. The government statement in end-2024 mentioned that out of the total sewage, a large portion of 293 MLD flows into 81 drains of the city connected to the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, while the remaining 178.31 MLD flows into the sewage network connected to 10 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with a maximum capacity of 390 MLD. Earlier, on a Public Interest Litigation, the NGT had directed the UP government to ensure minimum sewage discharge in Ganga, Yamuna before Kumbh Mela.
Now, add to it the extra load of a billion people anticipated to take a ‘holy dip’ over 40 days at the #MahaKumbh2025. Overwhelming for the society to experience? But, intimidating for the system to execute? A city that is already challenged with its own sewage and treatment for years, how did the government plan to cater to the wastewater management for the #MahaKumbh2025 where the government statement estimated a rise of 10% sewage load in the existing situation? Indeed, a new adjoining temporary city, Kumbh Mela site, is built with a dedicated governing mechanism through Uttar Pradesh Prayagraj Mela Authority who claimed to have installed state of the art novelty and technology for wastewater management. The Down to Earth wrote an important piece on the how #MahaKumbh2025 administration seeks to ensure that Ganga is dip-safe where the biggest concern is on-site sewage treatment without which the risk of untreated sewage mixing with Ganga runs high.
There is no doubt that people trust that ‘Ganga Jal’ is pure alias clean. But do people realize though that it still needs treatment to be supplied for drinking water to the cities? Do people also realize where do the wastewater generated from their homes, industries, other buildings, and in this case from the mela ground, go? What happens to that wastewater whether treated or not treated when it flows into the river? I believe, people know this basic math-n-map of water and wastewater flow. I am sure they take cognizance of the nalas and the garbage they traverse every day. I also believe that it is beyond their comprehension to think through it deeply/scientifically besides, the prisoners’ dilemma of knowing, not-knowing, and helplessness (of What can I Do?) leaves them with trusting the information shared. In #MahaKumbh2025, there was more information shared on mythology by the politics than on pathology by the science.
Discussion
Cut to the point, did/does it really matter to the people that, ‘the water that was meant for the holy dip may be holy shit?’ Or is it the ignorance of the people about the water quality? Or is it the trust bestowed by the society on the system to ensure the desired water quality? Or is it the primary hope of one’s cleansing that the water quality becomes secondary? Or is it over reliant of blind faith on the Ganga water quality?
Interestingly, one thing is common and clear here that the majority holy dip-peers including the Prime Minister and the President are ignorant to the information on water quality. Ironically, many of us who are aware about the concerns of water quality also took a dip because of something that is beyond comprehension especially the ‘cleansing of the sin’ part. Well, I did go into the water in the VIP area and found it visibly ok with naked eyes with few floating puja and plastics materials but, I saw Sangam nose was terribly filthy at shore and in on water with wastes from puja and peoples’ belongings.
Indeed, there are extraordinary scientific and technological measures taken (like the spiritual-recreational promotions) to address the water pollution for #MahaKumbh2025. But more so, there are more political and media measures taken to trumpet the purifying aspect to subjugate the petrifying pollution aspect.
It is indeed a task to wipe out the trust deficit in the country, and thus use of religious-spiritual rhetorics in politics is a way to get out of the way and deregulate the scientific rigor from the society. It is already taking place in many ways in the New India with studies like, importance of cow urine-shit (in a country that worships cow as ‘holy’ and yet is among the largest beef exporters in the world). Politics (backed by media) and now many scientific and academic institutions see it imperative to build trust based on religion and nationalism. In the process of legitimizing building trust through religion and nationalism, the politics of water is basically justifying peoples’ holy dip, immersion of all kinds of waste including fecal sludge alias pollute the river because, the River Ganga has self-cleaning properties.
Well, rivers naturally have the ability to purify themselves, absorbing and treating organic waste and trusting that Ganga Maiyya fairs better than others, I still fail to trust that we can continue to pollute and Ma Ganga knows to clean itself as we as all of us. Over half the country’s population took that holy dip. I fail to trust the faith over facts of science and real-time data. However, I am aware that when faith takes over fact among the en masse’, it is dangerous to discuss, deliberate, and debate. All the more when the leadership is strong enough to debunk the science by using strong statements that goes deep into the en masse’ and the executives who already carry weak understanding of mythology and pathology of water.
To me, the irony is that people are trusting the old myths and some science that doesn’t make sense to them and not their own eyes and minds on seeing a dirty river. To me, there lies the risk of herding and hysteria but, more so of the risk of evolution of the civilization. Ganga may not die but we are really working hard towards making ourselves dead through water (environmental) pollution not only in Ganga but, all the rivers across the country. As I reflect on my trust at the #MahaKumbh2025, my tryst with the society and the system besides, the ‘holy’ Ganga leaves me with a simple argument,
If we can’t keep the Ganga clean, Ganga is less likely to cleanse us.
Not convinced, but in a political waterscape of fear, I am pushed to trust that, we from the People to the PM and the President took a Holy Dip not in some Holy Shit.
---
Mansee Bal Bhargava is an entrepreneur, researcher, educator, speaker, mentor.
More info on her is at: www.mansee.in, www.wforw.in, www.edc.org.in
Comments