Veering off the track

48 hours after a deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, passengers rush to Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh.

Forty-eight hours is a long time to get on with life, especially at the New Delhi Railway Station. On February 17, nearly 48 hours after the stampede that killed 18 people, 52-year-old Rajesh Upadhyay was in a hurry to board a train to Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. While platform no. 16 remained crowded, with few signs of the chaos that had transpired two days before, Upadhyay was confident that his good karma would see him through the journey. “I have committed no paap (sin), so I believe I’ll not face any badha (hindrance),” he said, hopping on to an AC 3-tier compartment of the Magadh Express along with his wife and son.

As people continue to head to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh, the crowd surge at the railway station has left officials on the ground baffled. If anything, people are in a hurry since the religious fair is coming to an end on February 26, said a railway official.

According to his colleagues, even on February 16, a day after the stampede, 18.48 lakh passengers were ferried to the Maha Kumbh in 388 trains from various States. Till 6 p.m. on February 17, more than 14 lakh passengers were transported in 266 trains. “The Kumbh rush will continue till February 26,” officials told The Hindu.

Upadhyay believes one needs to be fortunate enough to be able to make the trip and take a dip in the “sacred waters” of the Triveni Sangam. “I believe my fate will take me to Prayagraj safely.”

Then there are bigger worries.

Boarding the general compartment of the Shiv Ganga Express, Rakhi Shaw, 27, and her husband Rajat Shaw, 28, didn’t want to back out at the last minute. “Both of us have appeared for government job exams and are awaiting the results. We feel if we take this holy journey together, maybe we can get through this hurdle,” she said.

Mira Devi, a 45-year-old resident of Kanjhawala in Delhi, said attending this year’s Kumbh was extremely important for her. “My three children are unemployed. If taking a dip in the Sangam can rid me of my sins and help my children, I’ll take a chance,” she said, adding that she said her prayers before setting out for the station.