At Maha Kumbh, Naga Sadhus lead 'Undekha Eye Test' to raise awareness of vision and diabetes

Eyelets Foundation , founded by Nishant Kumar, is conducting a large charitable project at the Maha Kumbh where pilgrims and police personnel are being offered free diabetes screening, eye screening, free prescription glasses and sunglasses till February 24, 2025. Kumar said that the intention of conducting this large project at the Maha Kumbh was to help pilgrims visiting the Kumbh and serve the uniformed personnel working tirelessly there.

More importantly, they wanted to create awareness regarding diabetes and preventable blindness, particularly the need to wear glasses to get the best vision possible. While the perception is that cataract is the most common cause of blindness, the lack of correct prescription glasses is the most common cause of visual disability. After the age of 40, almost everyone requires glasses for reading.

Today, reading is not just a purview of the rich and educated, but everyone is now glued to their smartphones, whether it is for news, financial transactions, entertainment, or even keeping in touch with loved ones. Without being able to see the smartphone, one is indeed disabled. Not wearing the correct presbyopic (need for reading) glasses will cause severe impairment to quality of life, which is something that Kumar wants to address. Providing free prescription glasses for distance, near, or both is the most cost-effective and non-invasive way to transform someone’s life. A simple intervention can transform mental health, physical health, and financial dependency and significantly improve one's performance at work.

Kumar and his team were keen to run an awareness campaign at the Maha Kumbh but quickly realised that everyone was vying for attention at this once-in-a-144-year event. All commercial companies are engaged in large-scale activities at the Maha Kumbh, including celebrity influencers, Bollywood and sports celebrity endorsements, drone shows, and multiple large banners and LEDs spread across the Kumbh. Among all this crowd of advertisements and glitz, Kumar felt that his voice and awareness campaign would remain orphaned and would not see the day of light. However, just then, he approached some of the most influential people at the Maha Kumbh – 'The Naga Sadhus ' – to help him spread awareness regarding the need to wear glasses. Naga Sadhus are the most stared at people during the Maha Kumbh. For most people visiting the Maha Kumbh, there are only two essential tick marks – one is to take a dip at the Sangam, and the second is to see and photograph Naga Sadhus. During the Maha Kumbh, they are the most powerful group of people. They are renunciates, and yet they command the most attention.

When Kumar spoke to some of them and explained why he wanted their help and the impact they could have in changing lives, they agreed to support him by simply wearing a vision test on their backs. This idea was suggested by a creative team helping Kumar in this endeavour, and luckily, the Naga Sadhus blessed this idea and agreed to participate.

Putting a vision chart on the backs of the Naga Sadhus as they roamed around the Kumbh Mela creates a never-seen-before experience for anyone who sees them. Most people are astounded, amused and befuddled when the Nagas tell them, “Ye nahi dikh raha toh jaake aankhen jaanch karao,” it almost seals the deal. There could be nothing more powerful than the image of a Naga Sadhu with a vision chart on their back telling people to go and get their eyes checked and change their lives. At the Maha Kumbh, the Nagas roaming the ghats with the vision charts on their backs has led to significant support in ensuring that people get free eye checkups, free diabetes checkups and free glasses. People who see the sadhus will not forget their message, and it has become a great conversation point, not just in the Kumbh, but among people who have seen these Naga Sadhus at the Kumbh.

Amazingly, people who have renounced everything in life have turned into the most prominent influencers for a social and medical cause, assisting a simple doctor from Mumbai in achieving his awareness target of reaching more than 10 million people and educating them regarding the need for glasses, screening for diabetes and screening for preventable causes of blindness. The Maha Kumbh has turned out to be a Maha awareness initiative and campaign for the Eyebetes movement, and the most prominent influencers have been those who cannot be paid, bought and reasoned with. The Naga Sadhus have helped spread a simple message most effectively and created an awareness campaign that will not be forgotten for long. The campaign is called the ' Undekha Eye Test ' because nothing like this has ever been seen.

The “Undekha Eye Test” campaign is growing from strength to strength, and the Naga Sadhus support is helping Kumar reach his target of creating awareness for 10 million Indians.