India, March 1 -- The Uttar Pradesh government's management of food and water for millions, and the civility from police to airport authorities, was impressive. However, it has to better address women's safety.

It was the best of trips. It was the worst of trips. Little did I imagine joining millions of pilgrims at the Kumbh Mela this year. It began as a joke over breakfast with friends who described their luxurious tent stay and encounters with Naga sadhus. I mentioned my Kumbh trip 12 years ago, organized by our father when I was miffed that we hadn't entered the camp to see the colourful sadhus. We'd driven straight to Benares afterward, and as luck would have it we walked bang into the middle of a procession where a sadhu approached ...