On April 14, 2021 India had over 200,000 new cases of COVID-19. After the USA, India has become the country with the world’s second-highest coronavirus infections, overtaking Brazil, as doctors report shortage of hospital beds and ventilators.
Despite this outbreak, authorities have allowed the Hindu religious cerebration of Kumbh Mela to proceed, drawing over 600,000 mostly mask less people to gather on the shore of the Ganges river. Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly wants to secure the Hindu vote despite the health risk of allowing such a superspreader event to proceed.
The Haridwar district reported over 2,000 people have tested positive for Covid-19 since April 10, 2021. Twnety of those were seers or religious leaders. The head of the Maha Nirvani Akhara, Swami Kapil Dev, who had come to attend Kumbh Mela died from COVID-19 on April 13, 2021.
A majority of the people who bathed in the Ganges were seen openly violating COVID norms like wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing. The festival is 12 days long, going through April 30, 2021. This allows plenty of time for it to become a super spreading event of epic proportions.
A senior health official told the Times of India, “Leave aside testing, the seers are not even ready to wear masks, some of us pleaded with folded hands, but they didn’t listen.” Hindu devotees believe that Maa (Mother) will save them from the pandemic.
Various states in India have reported vaccine shortages, with vaccination centers in Maharashtra and Odisha reportedly shut for lack of doses. The Prime Minister Modi has asked the governors of Indian states to promote unproven therapies and ‘treatments’ offered by alternative medicine systems like Ayurveda “The Science of Life.” and homeopathy. The Indian Medical Association characterizes the practice of modern medicine by Ayurvedic practitioners as quackery. Homeotherapy claims that disease is caused by miasms or, “bad air”.
As COVID-19 rips through India, the Uttarakhand government did not just fail to take action limiting numbers at the Hindu festival—it actively encouraged people to come and told them not to worry about Covid-19 restrictions. On March 20, 2021 , Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat said, “I invite all devotees across the world to come to Haridwar and take a holy dip in the Ganga during Mahakumbh. Nobody will be stopped in the name of Covid-19 as we are sure the faith in God will overcome the fear of the virus.” A minister aid, “This is not negligence. It’s a serious criminal act.”
1,038 people died from COVID-19 in India on April 14, 2021.