India, Feb. 2 -- My hands tremble as I pack my bags for Mahakumbh, each item I place inside carrying the weight of generations of spiritual seekers before me. The anticipation burns in my chest like sacred incense, filling me with both excitement and trepidation. Years of listening to my grandmother's stories about this divine gathering have created a tapestry of expectations in my mind - visions of enlightened sadhus with eyes that pierce through the illusions of everyday life, of holy waters that shimmer with ancient blessings, and of an atmosphere so pure it could lift one's soul closer to the divine.

In the weeks leading up to my journey, sleep becomes elusive. I lie awake; my mind painting pictures of what awaits me. I imagine mysel...