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.