Syed Shah Waiz

During the 1941 Kumbh Mela, the Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Al, sent a mobile Ayurvedic hospital to provide free medical care to thousands of devotees. The initiative was supported by saints, which earned praise for its high-quality treatment and round-the-clock service.

Kumbh Mela holds immense religious significance in Hindu culture. Saints, sages, and mahants from various sects and ideologies participate in the event. It is organized every three years in Prayagraj, Ujjain, Nashik, and Haridwar. Historical records of the Kumbh Mela date back to the medieval period.

Several Muslim rulers of that era extended their support to the Kumbh Mela, with Emperor Akbar’s contributions and planned initiatives holding special importance. Even after Akbar, many Mughal rulers continued to assist in organizing the Kumbh Mela. Apart from the Mughals, some Muslim Nawabs from North India also provided financial aid and other facilities for the event.

During Nizam Mir Osman Ali's reign, special attention was given to establishing healthcare facilities in Hyderabad. As a result, prominent medical institutions like Osmania Hospital, Quarantine Hospital, and other clinics were established. Osmania University, founded by Nizam Mir Osman Ali provided medical education in the Urdu language. As a result, the state had a good number of local doctors.

Due to these advancements, Hyderabad gained recognition in colonial India as a city with superior medical facilities. Hyderabad’s medical teams provided emergency services in various crises across different cities in India. Even during the Kumbh Mela, Hyderabad’s medical teams played a crucial role. A report on this was published by Mahant Baba Purandas Udasi from the medical department of the Nizam’s government. Baba Purandas was a key figure of the Udasi Sadhu sect and managed an ashram in Hyderabad.

Millions came for a pilgrimage to the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) in 1941-42. However, the lck of medical facilities there often led to major issues. News of these inadequacies appeared in newspapers across the country. In response, Hyderabad’s medical department sent a team to the event. Similar teams had also been dispatched to the Kumbh Melas in Haridwar and other locations.

Against this backdrop, Baba Purandas submitted a petition to Nizam Mir Osman Ali in 1941-42, requesting medical assistance for devotees at the Kumbh Mela. Maulvi Syed Abdul Aziz, the head of the Nizam’s Department of Religious Protocol, took this request seriously and promptly approved Baba Purandas’s proposal to send a medical team to the Kumbh Mela. Orders were issued for the deployment of a Hyderabad-based medical team.

A medical team was formed under the leadership of Pandit Radhakrishna, Principal of the Nizam Government Ayurvedic College, and Dr. Pandit M. A. Rangacharya from Nizam Hospital. On December 26, 1941, this team departed from Hyderabad for Allahabad where it set up its camp on January 1, which was inaugurated by Swami Harnamdas Ji and Rai Tarachand Sahab Gupta.

On the occasion, Rai Tarachand Gupta said, “A remarkable aspect of this initiative is that the official Ayurvedic hospital of the Nizam government is serving here, benefiting countless devotees of the Kumbh Mela. This humanitarian effort is an excellent example of dedication to service. Just as they provided excellent services at the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, I hope they will continue to do the same here. I pray to the Almighty for the long life and good health of Nizam Mir Osman Ali and his royal family.”

Maulvi Abdul Aziz’s Visit 

Maulvi Abdul Aziz visited the Kumbh Mela to inspect the team’s work. He arrived in Allahabad on January 25 and was warmly welcomed. Initially, he toured the Ayurvedic hospital and offered several suggestions. He was also greeted by saints and mahants from various akharas. After briefly traveling through the Kumbh Mela by car, he walked a mile on foot to inspect the arrangements and presented cash donations to select Sadhus as a goodwill gesture.

Medical Treatment Facilities at the Hospital

A published report on the team's performance at the mela includes feedback from many patients. The hospital administered first aid for wounds and treated ailments such as colds, fevers, headaches, eye infections, diarrhea, vomiting, and other digestion-related issues.

A register records the account of Abdul Ali Khan, a patient admitted to the hospital for ten days. Another patient, Ramsharan, suffered from painful boils and received treatment for several days. Chunnilal, a retired office superintendent, attended the Kumbh Mela but suffered from severe skin infections and wounds caused by chronic scabies. After treatment, he was cured of his long-standing condition.

Another patient, Mukherjee, experienced chest pain during the Kumbh Mela. He arrived at the hospital in distress and was given treatment. The team treated 3,295 patients from Hyderabad, Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh, and the Central Provinces.

Reactions from Dignitaries

Several eminent personalities praised the services provided by the Nizam’s government at the Kumbh Mela. Vaidhya Bhavani Dutta Sharma (Secretary, All India Dhanvantari Seva Samiti), Sir Bahadur Johri (Secretary, Bar Council), and Advocate Gulab Rai (High Court, Nizam’s Government) commended the hospital’s efforts.

Notably, this was the only hospital at the Kumbh Mela that operated 24/7, ensuring uninterrupted medical assistance to pilgrims. The report also highlighted that while other hospitals distributed cheap and less effective medicines, Nizam’s mobile hospital provided high-quality Ayurvedic medicines and superior treatments.

Vaidhyaratna Pandit Bhavani Dutta Sharma of the Hindu Mahasabha particularly lauded the effort, stating, “The Nizam has done a great service by sending a mobile hospital to this fair. Such public welfare initiatives should be expanded. We hope that the Nizam’s government will increase the number of such hospitals.”

Ayurvedic scholar Jagdish Anand also praised the hospital, saying, “This mobile Ayurvedic hospital under the supervision of Pandit Radhakrishna and Pandit Rangacharya is providing excellent public service.”

Additionally, Sir Bahadur Johri, Secretary of the Bar Council and General Secretary of the Agra Provincial Hindu Sabha, commended the hospital’s efforts: “As the president of the Guru Nanak Seva Samiti, I observed various hospitals distributing free medicines. However, I noticed that other hospitals distributed cheap and less effective medicines, whereas this mobile hospital provided high-quality and comprehensive treatment to every patient. The concerned authorities should be applauded for this initiative.”

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Rai Gulab, a lawyer at the Nizam’s High Court, remarked, “I am delighted to see that His Highness, the Nizam, has set up an Ayurvedic hospital in the sacred land of the Prayag Kumbh Mela for the medical welfare of pilgrims. I had the opportunity to visit the hospital multiple times and observed the staff tirelessly serving the people day and night. The doctors carefully examined patients and treated them with great respect.”