New Delhi, Feb 12: The Mahakumbh 2025 is an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience, said Erik Solheim, former Minister of Climate and Environment of Norway, on Wednesday.

Speaking to IANS, he shared his spiritual experience of taking a holy dip in the Ganga, at the ongoing Mahakumbh 2025 in Uttar Padesh’s Prayagraj. Solheim took the holy dip at Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, and Yamuna, and the mythological Saraswati rivers, on January 31.

“It was an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Solheim. He called the mega event not only the largest spiritual gathering in the world but also the largest meeting of humans that has ever happened anywhere in the world.

“At no time in history, no other place... America, Europe, China, that 400 million people have come together in a short period of time, to venerate gods,” the former Norwegian minister told IANS.

Solheim said that while the people have gathered at Prayagraj to “take a dip in the Ganga, have a spiritual, emotional, journey," they are also making new "friendships, and are with families and friends”.

The veteran diplomat called it a “wonderful experience" to witness the “happiness of all these people coming from small towns and villages from all over India”.

Expressing happiness for being able to participate at the mega event, he said that, one "will have to wait for another 144 years to witness the next MahaKumbh". The Mahakumbh is held every 144 years, Purna Kumbh every 12 years, and Ardh Kumbh every six years.

Earlier, Solheim had also shared his spiritual connect at the MahaKumbh on social media platform X.

“Wonderful reflection on Oneness at the Mahakumbh! The Kumbh in Prayagraj is a great spiritual event with the dip in the Ganga center stage. It's a huge festival celebrating life itself. But it is also an arena for reflection,” he said.

Mahakumbh 2025 is a spiritual event drawing crores of devotees from around the world to take a dip of faith and to ‘wash away their sins’. The Triveni Sangam has seen an average of 1.44 crore pilgrims taking a holy dip daily. The mega event will continue till February 26.

--IANS

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