"Grateful to MEA for giving opportunity": Foreign diplomats on Maha Kumbh visit

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 1 (ANI): The MahaKumbh 2025 has drawn diplomats from around the world, with many foreign diplomats expressing their excitement and gratitude to India for the opportunity to experience it's rich cultural heritage firsthand in the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Marje Luup, Estonian Ambassador to India, highlighted the significance of the event and stated, "Very excited. This is a very important event for India and also for all of us. This happens very rarely. 70 visitors from Estonia are also going to the Maha Kumbh... I am very grateful to the Ministry of External Affairs for giving us the opportunity to visit there... some of us will also take a dip."

Shankar Prasad Sharma, Nepal's Ambassador to India, emphasised the sacred nature of the occasion and affirmed, "This is a very sacred occasion and it is a great opportunity for me to join the millions of people who are getting blessings through Maha Kumbh Snan. I am sure these millions of people are looking for purity and enlightenment and I am happy that I will be a part of it."
He also highlighted the cultural and religious linkages between Nepal and India.
"This is not only a religious festival in India, it is part of the cultural, civilizational and religious linkages that we have between Nepal and India. So I'm very happy that I'm here today," he added.

Further, Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner of South Africa to India, described the Maha Kumbh as a "once in a lifetime experience" and a "global celebration of humanity."
"We are very fortunate that the Ministry of External Affairs has arranged this trip to Maha Kumbh for us. This is a once in a lifetime experience. This is a special Maha Kumbh that happens once in 144 years. So I think we are very blessed to be here and to have this opportunity," he said.
He praised India's ability to bring people together, celebrating common humanity and spirituality .
"Maha Kumbh is not just about India, it is not just about Hinduism, it is a global celebration of humanity. You have seen millions of people from all over the world coming together and this is what India is about that it can bring people from all over the world together, celebrating our common humanity, our common spirituality and forgetting our differences and immersing ourselves in the sacred Ganges river and ensuring that we all pray for peace, which is what the world needs at this time," he added.

Expressing her excitement and appreciation for the opportunity to experience the Maha Kumbh, Diana Mickeviciene, Lithuania's Ambassador to India stated, "I always wanted to go. I have been associated with India for many years, but I never had a chance to go to any Kumbh and today this time it is auspicious and particularly important Maha Kumbh. So I feel very fortunate that I am here in India... This is definitely something that reflects the rich Indian heritage and culture, which you should be very proud of."

"I am very happy that the state government and the Ministry of External Affairs are arranging this visit for the diplomats. The Maha Kumbh Mela is a very special event, especially this year. So I am looking forward to going there to understand the Hindu culture," Ambassador of Japan to India Keiichi ONO said on Maha Kumbh visit.

Federico Salas, Ambassador of Mexico to India express his excitement for the Maha Kumbh visit and stated, "I'm very excited about the possibility of seeing this huge gathering firsthand and the religious fervour that comes with it. So I'm really looking forward to it."
"I think it will probably be one of the highlights of my experiences in India. So I'm really excited about this trip. Taking a dip is significant as a way to cleanse yourself and purify your body and mind," he added.
Over 5.42 million devotees took dip on Saturday in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati in the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.
Among these, over 1 million Kalpavasis and 4.42 million pilgrims have taken a dip in the Triveni waters today.
Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will continue till February 26. The remaining significant 'snan' dates in Maha Kumbh are February 3 (Basant Panchami--Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). (ANI)