Cops seek to rein in Kumbh crowd, ascetics

NASHIK: The first meeting of the sadhus' Akhadas convened by the city police commissionerate earlier this week in the run-up to next year's Kumbh Mela has revealed the cops' anxiety in managing crowds during the auspicious days for the holy dip. Taking into consideration the stampede that claimed 29 lives during the last Kumbh Mela, the jittery police have asked the sadhus to wind up their processions by 10 am on the holy dip days, refrain from including devotees in the processions of sadhus, limit the number of vehicles and obtain identity cards.
While meticulous planning, followed by execution with proper logistical support and coordination among various government agencies, is vital for the mega religious event, synchronisation with the Akhadas and the Khalsas (religious communes attached to the Akhadas) is the most difficult part. There has been acrimony between the ascetics and the bureaucracy in the past Kumbh over various issues. Many such contentious issues are still unresolved and it is unlikely that the sadhus would agree to what the police have to say.
In the run-up to the 2003-04 Kumbh, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) had proposed widening of the Shahi Marg - the 3-km route taken by the sadhus from Sadhugram in Tapovan to Ramkund in Godavari for the holy dip. It, however, did not materialise. Subsequently, the NMC constructed a new Shahi Marg that ran parallel to the Godavari riverbank till Ramkund. But, the bureaucracy had either not consulted the sadhus before embarking on the venture or had taken them into confidence. Consequently, the entire community of sadhus refused to use the new Shahi Marg on the pretext that the route passed near a cemetery, which they cited as "inauspicious". The new Shahi Marg, built at the cost of Rs 5 crore, remained unutilised. On one such Shahi Snan day (royal dip day), there was a stampede at Sardar Chowk that claimed 29 lives.
The issue of widening of the old Shahi Marg that passes through the narrow lanes of Katya Maruti temple, Nag Chowk, Kalaram Mandir and Sardar Chowk was revived in 2011 when the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad announced the dates of the 2015-16 Kumbh. The ascetics are firm on not using the new Shahi Marg. However, there has been no significant movement on widening the old Shahi Marg.
Likewise, the issue of acquiring land for Sadhugram in Tapovan is hanging fire. In the 2003-04 Nashik Kumbh, there were around 300 Khalsas that had to be provided space during the congregation. Their number has gone up to around 700 in the recent Allahabad Kumbh and more space would be required for the coming event in Nashik.
After the stampede in the last Kumbh, the V Ramani commission of inquiry had criticised the police for failing to control the crowd and pointed out at the lack of coordination among various government agencies. The commission had also suggested widening of the old Shahi Marg, installing CCTV cameras and construction of more bathing ghats downstream of Ramkund.
The planning for the coming Kumbh includes creation of new bathing ghats at the cost of Rs 16 crore, so that more pilgrims would take the holy dip on the auspicious occasions and ease congestion at Ramkund. Besides, CCTV cameras are to be installed to monitor the crowd. However, the pace of the Kumbh work is slow and considering the approaching rainy season and the state assembly elections, the time available is diminishing.
While the Kumbh plans and estimates to the tune of Rs 2,378 crore have been finalised and approved by the apex committee headed by the chief minister, the district collector and the police commissioner have met the sadhus only once. While the previous contentious issues are still in limbo, fresh expectations (like winding up processions of sadhus by 10 am, not allowing devotees to join the processions, providing ID cards for Khalsas and limiting the number of vehicles in processions) may not go down well with the ascetics.