Page 58 - Mann ki Baat English Feb 2026

Whether it's the Maha Kumbh or the
Kerala Kumbh, it's not just a festival of
bathing. It's a reminiscential awakening
of memory. It's a re-remembrance of
culture. From North to South, the rivers
may be different, the banks may be
different, but the stream of faith is the
same—this is Bharat.
-Prime Minister Narendra Modi in
‘Mann ki Baat’ address

On the sacred banks of the Bharathapuzha River at Tirunavaya
in Malappuram district of Kerala, a centuries-old spiritual tradition
known as the Maha Magha Mahotsavam, often referred to as the
Kerala Kumbh was observed for 17 long days from 18 January to 3
February 2026. Associated with the sacred month of Magha, the
festival brought together devotees who gathered on the riverbanks
for holy bathing (Magha Snanam), prayers and spiritual rituals.
This historic gathering had largely faded for nearly two and a half
centuries, but its revival reflects India’s renewed effort to reconnect
with its cultural and spiritual heritage echoing the same stream of
devotion that flows through the great river festivals of the country,
from the Maha Kumbh in the North to the Kerala Kumbh in the South.

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