Govt records on Kumbha Mela history exhibited at the ‘Kala Kumbha’ art fair

• The British looted devotees’ wealth by imposing taxes on Kumbha Mela

• They conspired secretly to discourage participation in Kumbha Mela

Prayagraj – An exhibition showcasing official historical records related to the Kumbha Mela is being held at the ‘Kala Kumbha’ art fair here. The evidence presented highlights how the British initially opposed the Kumbha Mela and later imposed taxes on devotees to extract revenue. Representatives from Sanatan Prabhat visited the exhibition and studied the records, uncovering several startling facts.

Details of the revenue earned from the 1882 Kumbha Mela

1. An officer named Liaquat Hussain received multiple promotions and salary increments for his so-called “efficient management” of the Kumbha Mela. However, numerous unfortunate incidents during various Kumbha Melas are documented in official records. (This suggests that officials who maximized tax collection from Hindus were rewarded with promotions and salary hikes – Editor)

2. During the 1882 Kumbha Mela, the British Government earned Rs49,840 from taxes imposed on attendees. A related document notes that this amount was twice the Government’s annual income at the time.

Letter from Arthur Foy of the Christian Brotherhood opposing the Kumbha Mela, addressed to a British MP

3. In the 1888 Kumbha Mela, a senior British official personally provided security for a procession of Naga Sadhus. The incident was mocked in the contemporary newspaper Makhsan-i-Masihi, which reported, “A senior British official openly protected a procession of naked fakirs (Naga Sadhus).”The newspaper then posed an unrelated and provocative question: “Does the British Government support Hindu Dharma?” Referring to this incident, the director of the Christian Brotherhood wrote to a Member of Parliament in Liverpool:“The original objective of British rule in India was to prevent such gatherings. Instead, this official’s act of providing protection to the procession is disgraceful to Christianity. How can such events be allowed under a Christian Government in India?”

Document showing rewards, salary increments, and promotions for officials following increased tax collections at the Kumbha Mela

4. Some documents revealed that after expenses, the surplus revenue from taxes collected during that Kumbha Mela amounted to Rs 18,000. (This demonstrates how the British plundered India’s wealth in the form of taxes from the Kumbha Mela alone. Since these documents are available today, we get the statistics of the Kumbha Melas of a few years. These records provide insight into how the British, Mughals, and other invaders may have looted India’s wealth over time – Editor)