Seven Bihari Friends, One Boat, and Zero Tickets!

The Mahakumbh is all about devotion, faith, and taking a holy dip. But for seven friends from Bihar, it became something much bigger—an adventure of jugaad, unexpected struggles, and a boat trip that no one had planned properly. While others fought for train tickets or got stuck in traffic jams, these guys came up with the ultimate hack—sailing down the Ganga! And just like that, their wild, ticket-free, and traffic-free journey began.

No Ticket? No Problem!

These seven friends had one thing in common—no train tickets. While most people would’ve tried for a waiting list or begged the TT, one genius among them had a lightbulb moment: “Bhai, Ganga toh Prayagraj ja rahi hai, hum bhi chalte hain!” ("Brother, the Ganga is already going to Prayagraj, so let’s just go with it!")

With a borrowed (read: somehow still floating) boat, some snacks, and their mothers’ blessings, they set off, shouting “Har Har Gange!” with the confidence of world explorers—but the planning skills of last-minute group projects.

The first day felt like a dream—no train crowds, no honking, just the peaceful Ganga and a bunch of overexcited young men. But by Day 3, things started going south (or rather, floating very slowly west). Their grand plan to “catch and cook fish” quickly fell apart when they realized none of them actually knew how to catch fish. With no backup plan, they had to survive on dry snacks, which were running out faster than their patience. Rowing also turned into a nightmare. "Faith can move mountains, but it doesn't move boats," complained one of them, their arms tired after hours of rowing the boat . To make things worse, the trip included a few heart-stopping moments, such as when someone thought there was a  "Crocodile!" and the group went into shock. It turned out to be only a floating wood though.

The Great Realization

Somewhere near Varanasi, after days of rowing, one friend had a moment of deep wisdom: “Agar train liya hota, toh kab ka pahunch gaye hote!” ("If we had taken the train, we’d already be there!") But by that point, their fate (and their boat) was sealed.

To pass the time, they started singing bhajans. But one overly enthusiastic guy turned every bhajan into a Bhojpuri remix, making the group seriously consider throwing him overboard. Meanwhile, two oars mysteriously floated away when someone dozed off mid-row.

The Legendary Arrival

After 12 long, exhausting, and absolutely ridiculous days, they finally reached Prayagraj—tanned, tired, and slightly traumatized. No train delays, no traffic, just sore arms and the satisfaction of making it. A curious reporter asked, “How do you feel?”

One of them wiped his sweat and grinned: “Lighter by five kilos and wiser for life!”

They took their holy dip, washed away their sins (and exhaustion), and patted themselves on the back for pulling off what was probably the most insane journey to the Mahakumbh. But soon, a new problem arose—how to get back home? Someone jokingly suggested, “Wapas bhi boat se chalein?” ("Should we take the boat back too?") The group screamed in unison: “Bilkul nahi!”

Moral of the Story?

Forget traffic, skip ticket lines, and if you have a river—just take the boat! But next time, maybe bring extra oars and some actual food!