Amol Rajan Goes to the Ganges
Wednesday 25 June 2025
BBC1
In a powerful new one-hour BBC documentary, Amol Rajan Goes to the Ganges, the journalist and presenter travels to Northern India to experience the Maha Kumbh Mela – the largest religious gathering on Earth. Held every 12 years, the scale of this pilgrimage is extraordinary, with up to 500 million pilgrims arriving from across the globe to bathe in the sacred waters where the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers meet. This particular Kumbh is even more significant, marked by a rare planetary alignment last seen 144 years ago. It’s a moment of deep spiritual significance for many, and for Amol, it marks the beginning of an intensely personal journey.
For Amol, this isn’t just about observing the world’s largest pilgrimage – it’s about reconnecting with his roots. Born in India to a practising Hindu family but raised in Britain, Amol is navigating the emotional aftermath of his father’s death three years ago. He’s chosen this extraordinary spiritual event as a way to face that grief head-on. Immersing himself in the rituals of the Kumbh, he undertakes a sacred ceremony in the hope of releasing his father’s spirit from the cycle of life and death – a core belief in Hinduism. It’s a raw, reflective pilgrimage driven by both cultural curiosity and a deeply felt sense of loss.
Despite identifying as an atheist, Amol approaches the Kumbh with an open mind. He acknowledges the comfort and meaning religion offers to so many, even if he doesn’t subscribe to its tenets. What interests him isn’t the question of truth, but why belief endures. Witnessing the sheer number of pilgrims – many elderly, some with nothing more than the clothes on their backs – moved by centuries-old faith, he begins to understand religion’s power to shape purpose, offer structure, and create community. He describes it not as a contradiction, but as an opportunity to learn: how faith, ritual, and ancient narrative help us make sense of the human experience.
The journey, however, is far from easy. Physically, the Kumbh is overwhelming. At its height, the temporary city hosts as many as 70 million people a day – all compressed into a space the size of Winchester. The noise, heat, and relentless energy are punishing. Tragically, Amol was present during a crush on the festival’s most auspicious day, when lives were lost. Emotionally too, the experience takes its toll. Grief, long buried, rises to the surface as he confronts memories of his father and performs the ritual in his name. It’s both cathartic and exhausting – an act of love, duty and reckoning.
Amol also reflects on the deeper layers of Hinduism – its ancient origins, philosophical depth, and rich traditions. While he continues to question the literal truths of concepts like moksha or reincarnation, he finds meaning in the rituals themselves – in their beauty, repetition, and the comfort they bring. He’s struck by how these traditions have sustained generations, and how participating in them – even with a sceptical mind – created an unexpected connection to his heritage, and to something timeless. It’s a moving portrayal of someone caught between reverence and reason, between modern secularism and ancient faith.
At its heart, the film is about three things: grief, faith and family. It’s about how we process loss, how we seek meaning, and how our roots shape us – even when we’ve moved continents and questioned beliefs. It’s a love letter to Amol’s late father, a reflection on the quiet wisdom of his mother, and a raw account of personal transformation. Whether you’re religious or not, it’s a compelling watch – honest, vulnerable, and thoughtful. You can watch Amol Rajan Goes to the Ganges on BBC One and iPlayer from 9pm, Wednesday 25 June.
(Images: BBC/Wildstar Films Ltd)
