61 Years Ago, Raj Kapoor’s Film Sangam: Explained the Meaning of 'Maha Kumbh'

By Sharad Rai

Sixty-one years ago, Raj Kapoor’s film Sangam became synonymous with the Kumbh Ghat (in Prayagraj) when people took a dip in the holy waters. On the Triveni Sangam, a journalist from Mumbai, Shiv Kumar Tiwari, had an encounter with a Russian woman who asked, “Is this the same place where Raj Kapoor’s film Sangam was shot?” Tiwari paused and thought, "Was it?" And perhaps many others have had the same thought.

Raj Kapoor’s Film Sangam & The Sacred Triveni Confluence

To our younger readers, we would like to clarify that Raj Kapoor’s Sangam was not about the confluence of the three rivers, Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati at the Triveni Sangam, but about the union of three hearts. The significance of taking a holy dip at the Sangam Ghat in Prayagraj lies in the fact that three rivers once met there. The third river, Saraswati, disappeared into the depths of the earth, allowing the meeting of the Ganga and Yamuna. While Ganga and Yamuna meet above, Saraswati has submerged herself beneath.

Raj Kapoor’s Film Sangam: First Color Film & Russian Success

Raj Kapoor, the legendary filmmaker, shot parts of the film at Bhedaghat near the Narmada River in Jabalpur, where he also had family ties. However, the essence of his film was rooted in the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati at the Sangam in Prayagraj. Sangam was the first Indian film to be released in Russia, where it received a warm reception. It was a very long film, running nearly four hours, and had two intervals. It was also Raj Kapoor's first color film.

Story

Sangam tells the love triangle written by Inder Raj Anand. The film features Sundar (Raj Kapoor) and Gopal (Rajendra Kumar), two deep friends who would do anything for their friendship. Into their lives comes Radha (Vyjayanthimala). Sundar is deeply in love with Radha, while Radha loves Gopal. Time passes, and Sundar becomes a flight lieutenant in the army, while Gopal becomes a magistrate. War conditions change things, and Sundar is reported as dead, earning the Param Vir Chakra for bravery. As Gopal and Radha grow closer, just when they are about to unite, Sundar, alive and having escaped death on the battlefield, returns to the village. Sundar and Radha marry, and Gopal and Radha remain apart. However, an unsigned love letter causes a storm in their lives. This letter, written by Gopal to Radha, turns Sundar’s world into hell. To bring peace to Radha and Sundar’s lives, Gopal ends his life by shooting himself. In essence, just like Saraswati had to disappear for the union of Ganga and Yamuna, Gopal’s death marks the ultimate sacrifice for the reunion of Sundar and Radha.

Sangam became the highest-grossing classic film of its time. The music by Shankar Jaikishan and the lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri were extremely popular. Some of the iconic songs include "Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padhkar," "Bol Radha Bol, Sangam Hoga Ke Nahi," "Dost Dost Na Raha," and "Main Kya Karoon, Ram Mujhe Budha Mil Gaya."

Sangam remains a timeless classic by Raj Kapoor, whose essence is inextricably linked to the concept of the "Maha Kumbh."

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