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Amol Rajan Finds Solace in BBC’s Kumbh Mela Documentary

The film charts his emotional journey at India’s half-billion-strong Kumbh Mela pilgrimage, offering insight into personal loss through Hindu rituals

Amol Rajan at the Kumbh Mela (Photo: Wildstar Films/BBC)
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Overview

  • The BBC released Amol Rajan Goes to the Ganges on June 25 following the presenter’s pilgrimage to process grief three years after his father’s death.
  • Coverage of the 2025 Kumbh Mela highlights its scale as the largest human gathering in history, with more than half a billion participants and a £600 million government investment.
  • Rajan engaged in Hindu rituals including the pind daan ceremony to free his father’s soul before immersing himself in the Ganges and describing a profound sense of cosmic energy.
  • A crowd crush at the festival resulted in at least 30 deaths and around 90 injuries, momentarily interrupting Rajan’s experience and underscoring safety challenges at mass gatherings.
  • Critics and audiences have praised the film’s intimate exploration of faith, cultural heritage, and personal transformation in the face of loss.