French woman's fascination with Hinduism brings her to Kumbh Mela

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 8 (ANI): A 65-year-old French woman, Pascal, has reached Prayagraj to participate in the Kumbh Mela.
Pascal, who resides in France, has been drawn to Hinduism since childhood, revering Lord Shiva as her idol and possessing knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita and Puranas.
"I have a great attachment to the Hindu religion and Lord Shiva. I have no reason to express my attachment to Hinduism. This feeling comes from my heart," Pascal told ANI.
Pascal's connection to Hinduism began in 1984 when she first visited India. Her experiences have left her so enamoured with the Sanatan tradition that she is considering becoming a sadhu.
Pascal revealed her extensive knowledge of the Kumbh Mela and its significance, including the legend of Samudra Manthan and the drop of Amrit. "I know everything about Kumbh Mela and I also have complete information about Samudra Manthan. I also have complete information about the drop of Amrit," she said.
She expressed her delight in meeting sadhus, sanyasis, and Hindus, saying, "I like meeting Sadhu Sanyasis and Hindus here."
Pascal also showcased her Rudraksha necklace, a gift from a friend, which she believes offers her protection. "I am wearing a Rudraksha necklace around my neck which was given to me by my friend. Wearing it feels like it protects me," she said.
She praised the arrangements at the Kumbh Mela, highlighting the safety, free accommodations, food, and drink available to all attendees. "Mahakumbh is amazing. Crores of people are coming here and I feel very safe here. Staying here is free, eating is free, drinking is free and sleeping is also free. All the arrangements are very good," Pascal exclaimed.
The Maha Kumbh, the world's largest spiritual congregation, is being celebrated after 12 years and a huge turnout of devotees is expected in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. To prevent mishaps, the district administration has been taking important steps to ensure the safety of the devotees, especially for crowd management and avoiding fire incidents.
DIG Mahakumbh Vaibhav Krishna and SSP Kumbh Rajesh Dwivedi on Tuesday inspected the Kumbh Mela area.
"Police are conducting their drills and rehearsals on the placement of force at different points in the Kumbh area. The emphasis of the police is to ensure that devotees face no problems," said DIG Mahakumbh Vaibhav Krishna while speaking to ANI. (ANI)