I left my home for a solo trip to Kumbha Mela last Sunday and reached Prayagraj Junction on Monday morning. I was extremely excited to see the sea of people from all over the country and even abroad. I took a toto that dropped me 5 km from the mela premises, and I walked the rest of the way. I checked in at one of the tourist tent dormitories at Sector 6, around 8 km from the Sangam, on Monday evening.
On Tuesday evening, I left the tent at 4 pm and began walking towards the Sangam. I was near the ghat at 9 pm. I took the dip around 1 am on Wednesday and was returning to the camp when I realised something abnormal was happening. I could hear shrill cries at a distance and soon saw people around me falling down. I helped a woman and her child but realised I couldn't handle the pressure and lost my balance. It was a stampede.
For the next 10-20 seconds, all I could feel was people trampling over me, and I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes, a sadhu helped me up.
I thanked the people around and tried to make my way back, but it was so haphazard that none of us knew where to go. There were people scattered here and there, and bodies and injured persons being carried out on stretchers. I spent the night and the next morning under a tree, had food from a bhandara, and, by Thursday morning, I was on my way to the station.
Thankfully, the Sampark Kranti Express was on time, although overcrowded. I just want to go home to my 65-year-old mother. I wanted to carry home memories but all I have now is a nightmare.
Debnath (37), an NGO professional from Alipurduar's Hasimara, spoke to Subhojyoti Kanjilal