Amol Rajan calls Kumbh Mela stampede 'unimaginable‘
Amol Rajan calls Kumbh Mela stampede 'unimaginable‘
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‘There were countless utterly terrifying times,’ the broadcaster said. Amol Rajan has dubbed the Kumbh stampede “deeply sad” and “utterly terrifying” after being caught up in the incident at India’s Kumbh Mela festival. The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a judicial probe into the deaths of at least 30 people in stampedes at the world’s largest religious festival, where millions of Hindus gathered for a ritual bath at the confluence of three sacred rivers.
State authorities confirmed that nearly three dozen people had been killed in the crowds while an additional 60 had been left injured. Rajan, broadcaster and former editor at The Independent, attended the festival and has been sharing updates with his Instagram followers in the wake of the shock tragedy.
“Thank you so, so much for all the exceptionally kind messages, checking if we’re ok. We are - but there were countless utterly terrifying times this morning, and they weren’t over quickly,” he told wellwishers. “Everyone is deeply sad about the loss of life here. Those desperate pilgrims,” Rajan added.
“This Reel is a tiny, tiny snapshot of the biggest festival/carnival/pilgrimage/event/gathering in human history: these Naga Sadhus are naked spiritual warriors. “Today was a huge day for them - and hundreds of millions more, including us. The whole thing is unimaginable, or a fever dream - except it really happened.”.
