Saints honour sweepers at Kumbh Mela

SAINTS and cleaners came together at the Kumbh Mela in north India as part of a unique initiative led by His Holiness Pujya Chidanand Saraswatiji (HH Pujya Muniji), head of the Parmarth Niketan Ashram.  

HH Pujya Muniji, president of the ashram in Rishikesh.

 “The sacred Sangam does not ask what jati or caste you are or what lineage you are from. Rather, everyone is welcome.  Equally welcome.  Everyone bathes together with no borders or boundaries. 

 “When we bathe in the Sangam, we need to take the sandesh, the message, of the Sangam, which is to give freely to all without any discrimination on any basis,” said HH Pujya Muniji. 

Manhar Valjibhai Zalaji, chairman of the National Commission of Safai Karamcharis, praised HH Pujya Muniji’s initiative and said being honoured by the spiritual leader “gives a great message to the whole world.”

Praising the work of sanitation workers, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji, secretary-general of Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, said: “Our culture teaches us Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam, the world is a family, but you are actually really living that tenet. People clean up their own trash and their own mess or, at most, they clean for their family members. You are the ones who have made the world your family so deeply that you clean for all. “

Sant Shri Muralidharji, who has been reciting the sacred Shri Rama Katha at Parmarth Niketan for the past one week, said this year’s Kumbh was the cleanest he has seen and expressed his gratitude to the sanitation workers.