00:00Intro
00:27When it comes to establish city within city, this Kumbh city, Kumbh village is a classic
00:33example and with me is Mr. Anil Agarwal, often credited as the precursor to bring this tent
00:40city concept to this Kumbh city of Allahabad.
00:43Mr. Agarwal, thank you so much for speaking to One India First, Things First.
00:46How are you managing and what are your expectations for the coming Kumbh 2025?
00:51Thank you so very much.
00:53Actually Kumbh is not new for me.
00:56I have been doing it as you said.
00:58I have been doing it since 2000-2001 and every 6 years.
01:03And since my son Varun came in 2013, so he has fallen in the footsteps and now he continues
01:10to do it.
01:11I am just assisting him at the moment.
01:14Absolutely.
01:15When it comes to the concept of Kumbh village, share with us the kind of services that you
01:21are providing here.
01:22You see, experience, spirituality and luxury is the tagline.
01:26What is the concept altogether?
01:28Actually, 2001 experience was very different and today the expectations of people is entirely
01:37different.
01:38So, you have to fall in line with the times and that is why it is not just today a person
01:44who comes in, he doesn't want to just come in, take a dip and go away.
01:50He is searching for something else, something more and that is what we have tried to curate
01:56the experiences so that a person when he comes here, he gets to know what is Kumbh and he
02:02gets a lifetime experience by going through the experiences which we have curated for
02:09them.
02:10It's Kumbh by night, so by 10 o'clock our guides will take them to the Kumbh city when
02:16the Kumbh is sleeping and it is a two, two and a half hour experience when they will
02:21take them.
02:22This is one of the experiences.
02:23Then the Naga experience, then the different Akharas.
02:28So, you need to know in depth like when we go out from Allahabad and we go to a fort
02:34or any such place, so going there, just looking at things and coming back is hollowness.
02:42So, essentially you know things, the inside, the inside of it, it's useless to visit any
02:48place.
02:49So, that is the concept and how we try to develop this, so that a person gets a wholesome
02:56experience and he goes with a lingering memory forever.
03:00Absolutely.
03:01You mentioned 2001, 20 years have passed since then, a lot of revolutions have come and gone
03:08by.
03:09One of the revolutions is the technical revolution, if we talk about AI.
03:13What difference did it make?
03:14It made a lot of difference.
03:15Right from booking to…
03:16In 2001, there were computers, there were mobiles, but the problem was that we had technology
03:26which was so advanced that we had basic technology in 2000-2001.
03:31And we had to go to Banaras to collect money.
03:34We used to collect money from the Western Union, which is about 150 km away from Allahabad.
03:40We used to collect money from there, which the foreigners used to transfer from the Western Union.
03:45That was the only mode of payment.
03:47Today, the things have changed.
03:50I mean, you don't have to tell anyone that you just have to give a QR code or you have
03:55to give banking and from UPI, he can pay money with so many things.
03:59And you are very close to the world.
04:03You don't have to tell anything to anyone today.
04:05You are there and you are there everywhere.
04:08So, everybody knows about you and whatever you want to sell and the way you want to sell,
04:13the reach to people is enormous and these are the things of technological advancement.
04:20I remember when we made it in 2001, we did the work of Kolkata.
04:25We made a wooden structure and put tarpaulin on it and put a sack from outside to give
04:34it a Kumbh village.
04:35When I named it as Kumbh village, I gave a look of a village look.
04:39So, when we came up with the concept of a village, we gave it a village look.
04:43And that was the first time when people experienced that you get this kind of facility here.
04:51But that was also a basic facility.
04:53We had an in-house kitchen.
04:55They used to cook food and people used to eat.
04:57They used to go for a walk.
04:59They didn't get that much experience.
05:02They were on their own.
05:03They didn't have that many guides.
05:06But today, people have mastered everything and they are really into it.
05:13And when they take you around, they give you the experience.
05:16There is a lot of difference.
05:18Absolutely.
05:19And at the same time, Kumbh village is one of the many tent structures or tent enclosures
05:28that have been created here.
05:31If you could tell us about Kumbh village, what is it that you offer here for those who
05:37want to come here?
05:39And secondly, for foreign visitors also, if you may have.
05:41You see, with the changing times, as it is said that a thirsty man goes to a well.
05:49Yes.
05:50Here, the well came to the thirsty man.
05:52Taj decided to venture with us and they have joined hands.
05:59And they are our culinary partners.
06:03F&B is being looked after by Taj.
06:06So that gives the confidence to a person that if we stay there, at least we will get three
06:12meals a day.
06:13There is no problem with that.
06:14Because coming to such kind of affair, people have this problem.
06:18Especially people who come from abroad.
06:21So today we are talking about Taj.
06:26I would like to tell you that I am setting up my own RO system here.
06:32Okay.
06:33We are putting up a RO system.
06:35We are totally, 100% bio.
06:39All the toiletries that we have, they are all wooden.
06:47No plastic.
06:48And no bottles.
06:50Only our water will go into the glass bottle.
06:54Okay.
06:55This is our own RO plant.
06:57Right.
06:58So, like you said, with changing times, there is so much revolution that you have to...
07:07Right.
07:08This is how Kumbh village is different from others, I would say.
07:12Absolutely.
07:13Now, Mr. Aqbal, I would like to ask you one last question.
07:15You are from Allahabad.
07:17You have seen many Kumbhs and some Mahakumbhs as well.
07:22When it comes to the people here and the impact here,
07:26you told me earlier that the Ganga river comes till here and then recedes.
07:31And then this whole structure comes.
07:33What kind of enthusiasm is needed when you know that every step that you are taking,
07:37you have to retrace it after 45 days?
07:40See, this is one of the specialities of Allahabad.
07:43Here, it is said that Lord Hanuman also came and lay down.
07:46Okay.
07:47Lord Hanuman lay down here.
07:49Yes.
07:51And the belief is that as long as Ganga does not reach Lord Hanuman every year,
08:00so-called, as long as they do not bathe, Ganga will not go back.
08:05Right.
08:06So, Ganga comes there every year.
08:09And this is an area of more than 20-25-30 kilometers, which is submerged in water.
08:18Right.
08:19So, when Ganga recedes from here, the administration also decides
08:24what is the course of the river.
08:28According to that, the land is obtained.
08:30And for 45 days, 40 days,
08:36it is a challenge in itself to bring a very good facility on this land, on this sand,
08:44and then remove it after 45 days.
08:48And every day we fall short by one day.
08:52And we keep fighting and fighting and fighting.
08:55But ultimately, it comes up and everything happens.
08:59This is the grace of Ganga Ma and Lord Hanuman here on us
09:03that we are able to do it and we are able to do it successfully.
09:06Absolutely.
09:07So, succinctly and so nicely put to Mr. Anil Gaurav.
09:10Thank you so much.
09:11So, this is it.
09:12You heard it from the man himself.
09:14One of the many tent cities, one of the many tent enclosures that have been created here.
09:19And it gives you the glimpse that if you are headed to Allahabad,
09:22you know the place where to come and stay.
09:25Having said that, in the next video, you can watch Mr. Gaurav also explaining the facilities
09:29that are there inside the tent houses,
09:31which will give you a better and a closer experience of staying here in the Mahakom city of Allahabad.
09:38This is Pankaj Mishra reporting from Prayagraj for OneIndia.
09:42Don't miss out. Log on to OneIndia.com for more updates.
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