“Our elders often say that things happen only if they are meant to. I never really believed it, but my recent trip to Maha Kumbh Mela, Ayodhya, and Kashi made me think otherwise.

Just last Thursday, I got a call from my friend Sowmithri Ram, asking if I wanted to join their pilgrimage. With barely two hours to decide, I wasn’t sure. Then another friend, Vikas, from Kazipet called to check if I was coming. I still hesitated. The trip was unplanned, and I wasn’t sure if I could manage. But something about it felt divine. Before I knew it, Subhash, Dilip, and Shiva, who are Ram’s cousins, also joined us in Hyderabad, and we set off.

When we reached Prayagraj, the Maha Kumbh Mela was on a different scale. People from all over the country, lakhs of them, all here for the same reason. The Akharas, sadhus, and the huge crowds-yet, nothing felt out of place. This was the Maha Kumbh, the grandest of all Kumbh Melas, which happens once every 144 years at this scale.

We first visited Someshwar Ghat before heading to Triveni Sangam by boat. Taking a dip in the Sangam was something else. The water was cold, but once I stepped in, I understood why people keep coming here generation after generation.

Later, we sat at a langar where food was being served to everyone. No questions, no conditions—just a simple meal that reminded me why the Kumbh isn’t about arrangements or events. It’s about people.

From Prayagraj, we left for Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi. The idol of Ram Lalla in Ram Mandir had a presence that’s hard to explain. We had a peaceful darshan, spent some time in the temple premises, and left to Varanasi.

From Ayodhya, we reached Varanasi. The day started early with the morning Aarti at Assi Ghat. Later, we visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple and walked along the ghats, seeing Kashi the way it has always been.

In the evening, we went to Dashashwamedh Ghat for the Ganga Aarti. The crowd was massive, but the priests performed the ritual in perfect coordination. That day was also Republic Day. Seeing the tricolor flying near the ghats and hearing people sing Vande Mataram was a moment to remember.

Looking back, this wasn’t a planned journey. But maybe it didn’t need to be. The Maha Kumbh, Ayodhya, and Kashi-each place had its own significance, and being there made me realize why people keep coming back.

Some things don’t need planning. Sometimes, you just have to go.”