Mahakumbh

Nagar, 24 Feb (HS): Former Norwegian Minister and former Executive Director of

the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Erik Solheim experienced Indian

culture and spirituality deeply by attending Maha Kumbh 2025. He shared his

experience in this great festival and praised the ancient Indian ideology and

respect for nature.

Spiritual experience found in Maha Kumbh: Erik Solheim said, It was a

wonderful experience to come to Maha Kumbh. Indian philosophy teaches us that

man is not separate from nature, but is an integral part of it. In western

thinking, man is considered above nature, but in Indian culture, rivers,

forests, animals and birds and Mother Earth are worshipped. Describing

the experience of bathing in the Ganga as wonderful, he said that it is not just

a religious ritual, but also a way to express respect towards natural

resources.

Influenced by Indian ideology: Solheim said that in Indian culture, gods like

Ganesha and Hanuman symbolize that man and nature are connected to each other.

He described this thinking as important for the modern world and said that now

the time has come for the whole world to learn from Indian knowledge and give

priority to environmental protection.

There is a need to learn from Indian culture for environmental protection: He

emphasized that respecting and protecting nature has been a centuries-old

tradition in Indian culture. By coming to Maha Kumbh, he got an opportunity to

understand this ideology closely. He said, Mother Earth is not dependent

on humans, but we are dependent on Mother Earth. We have to learn to live in

harmony with nature, and Indian culture can guide us in this.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi