Mullah ji ‘Lightwaaley’ – Lighting up the Kumbh for Three Decades

As the attendees keep pouring in to the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh from every corner of the country, there is someone who makes sure that the Kumbh is well-lit.

The Quint meets Mohammad Mahmood who has been working for three decades as a light-man in different festivals of Kumbh.

“My name is Mohammad Mehmood. And I work as a lightman in the Joona Akhada (camp). So far I have worked in four Kumbh festivals in Haridwar, four in Allahabad, and three in Ujjain.”

Mohammad Mehmood, Lightman

Mehmood who comes from Muzaffarnagar says that he does what his heart tells and does not get affected from even when someone snaps at him.

“He (Mehmood) is a nice man. If someone tells him off he still says, ‘doesn’t matter.’ He feels there it’s ok for mahatmas and sadhus to feel angry.”

Local, Volunteer at Kumbh

Mehmood who says that Kumbh is like his family, feels that no matter how angry a person is, he tries to make them feel good.

“If someone is feeling better after abusing what’s wrong in that? If a Maharaj (Priest) uses abusive language I offer them the hem of my kurta and say, ‘throw your anger here’, people laugh.”

Mohammad Mehmood, Lightman

Mehmood's team has both Muslims and Hindus working together to ensure that the Kumbh is lit. He says that no one has ever been disrespectful towards him or spoken with him in a way which would have created any problem.

“I have always been loved as if I am a brother to them. I don’t see if someone is Hindu or a Muslim. They tell me to work as long as I am alive. What more can I ask for?”

Mohammad Mehmood, Lightman

Mahmood says that although he did face some resistance initially, now that he has proven himself, the Kumbh feels like a family that doesn’t object to him offering namaz (prayer) inspite of his busy schedule at Kumbh.

“Nobody objects, in fact they feel glad that at least there is one Muslim who is associated with kumbh. For them it’s something to be happy about. Even if someone has a problem with it, I don’t care.”

Mohammad Mehmood, Lightman

For his three-decade-long service and the bond he shares with the sadhus of Kumbh, 'Mullah jI lightwaaley' is the best example of the 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb' of India.