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EYE ON INDIA FEBRUARY 28, 2025 | The Indian Eye 6

MAHAKUMBH 2025

How a boatman’s family served hundreds of

thousands and made crores during the gathering

Pintu Mahara, head of a boatman family, got around 70 boats made to cater to

devotees and pilgrims during the 45-day grand religious gathering

OUR BUREAU Pintu Mahara said months of
“hard work paid off as our boats
Prayagraj/Lucknow (UP)
became an integral part of the Ma-
eld on the banks of Sangam hakumbh experience, ferrying thou-
in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, sands of devotees”.
HMahakumbh 2025 emerged “In 2019, the boatmen earned a
as a historic and well-organized lot of money during the Ardh Kum-
event, witnessing an unprecedented bh. They earned in lakhs. A lot of
gathering of over 66 crore devotees. people came that time. Seeing this
The event, which began on Janu- I anticipated that around 70 crore
ary 13 (Paush Purnima), concluded devotees would turn up in the Maha-
on February 26 (Maha Shivaratri), kumbh,” he said.
drawing pilgrims from across India “After Mauni Amavasya, I felt
and the world. the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Under the leadership of PM Modi
Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday, shared and CM Yogi, the Mahakumbh
the “success story” of a boatman’s became a grand success, making
family, highlighting their earnings A view of Triveni Sangam during sunset as devotees offer prayers on the occasion of Maha Prayagraj famous worldwide,” he
during the 45-day-long Mahakumbh added.
from January 13 to February 26. Shivaratri and the last day of Mahakumbh 2025, in Prayagraj on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) Despite the physical strain, with
“A boatman’s family, who owned many of his team members falling ill
several boats, earned a total of Rs of devotees and he will be successful. “Life was tough. We had to due to the demanding workload, Pin-
30 crore in just 45 days during the “The Mahakumbh was a grand borrow money and mortgage gold tu and his crew remained committed.
Mahakumbh. This means each boat event, we got the boats made and to get the boats. My father used to “We had 250 people sailing the
earned Rs 23 lakh over the 45 days, earned money. The Mahakumbh earn, then he passed away. It took a boats, and my brothers were with
translating to about Rs 50,000-52,000 was a grand spectacle, we never saw lot of efforts to build this, it took six me every step of the way. It was hard
per day,” CM Yogi said in the Uttar anything like this before and I wish months to get the boats ready. I took work, but the experience was price-
Pradesh Assembly. to see this kind of event again… We loan from several people, even put less. We helped everyone take the
Now, a unique success story has gained a lot from this Mahakumbh, my family’s gold to mortgage. This is holy bath, from the rich, the poor,
emerged. we earned money and also the bless- because we didn’t have money then,” the specially-abled. Our entire fami-
Inspired by the enterprise of ings of the people,” he said. he added. ly earned money, the entire boatmen
boat operators during the 2019 Ardh community earned money,” he said.
Kumbh, a boatman’s family in Ut- He also rejected opposition’s
tar Pradesh’s Prayagraj took a bold allegations that boatmen were ex-
entrepreneurial step during the re- ploited. “We earned a lot of money,
cently concluded Mahakumbh Mela the opposition can say anything,” he
2025 and scripted a “success story” said.
in terms of facilitating journey of pil- Pintu Mahara’s mother also ex-
grims and earning in the process. pressed gratitude for the family and
Pintu Mahara, head of a boat- boating community’s success. “We
man family, got around 70 boats put in a lot of effort, and Ganga Mai-
made to cater to devotees and pil- yya listened to us.”
grims during the 45-day grand re- Pintu Mahara also recalled ef-
ligious gathering. Mahara spoke forts of government to support local
about his struggle as also his success businesses including during the Ma-
and said he wishes to be at the next hakumbh. “I wish CM (Yogi Aditya-
Mahakumbh, carrying on his work. nath comes and gives me his bless-
He recalled taking loans, mort- ings,” he said.
gaging personal household jewellery Over 300 people worked under
to fund his project. Despite the finan- Pintu Mahara’s leadership, helping
cial risks, he was confident that the Pintu Mahar with his family devotees with boat rides, bathing ar-
Mahakumbh would attract millions rangements, and other services.

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