A Son of Nashik, a Prayer to Godavari Mata, and the Beginning of Kumbh Labs
I went to Panchavati with a wedding card to seek blessings. I came away with a promise to serve my city—and 18 months later, that promise has become Kumbh Labs.
Carrying a Wedding Card to Panchavati
When I walked through Panchavati that morning, I was carrying my wedding invitation card—visiting Kalaram Mandir and the shrines around Ramkund to place it at the feet of the deities and seek blessings for the life my partner and I were about to begin.
As a son of Nashik, the black-stone temple walls, saffron flags, marigold garlands, and living Ramayana heritage of Panchavati have always filled me with pride. Standing on the Godavari Ghats that day, that pride was joined by a new feeling: responsibility.
The Prayer at Ramkund
Panchavati is already a deeply sacred, welcoming, and vibrant heart of Nashik. Looking out across the Godavari, I thought about the tens of millions of pilgrims who travel from every corner of India to experience this grace—and how much greater and more prosperous our city can become when we combine its timeless heritage with thoughtful modern tools.
I closed my eyes and made a quiet prayer to Godavari Mata:
Godavari Mata, give me an opportunity to serve you. Give me the wisdom and ability to elevate this sacred place—to make it even greater, more prosperous, and even more welcoming for every pilgrim and every family that calls Nashik home. Let the world see the greatness of Nashik.
I had come to ask for blessings for my own future. In that moment, I found myself asking for a chance to serve the future of my city.
Shared Prosperity for Nashik
As Nashik and Trimbakeshwar prepare to welcome 80 million+ pilgrims for the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela, technology should do two things at once: help every pilgrim navigate travel, stays, and rituals in their own language, and bring lasting prosperity to the people of Nashik—from flower sellers and artisans outside the temples to local shopkeepers, homestays, and transport operators.
18 Months Later: Kumbh Labs
Today, 18 months after that visit, we are launching Kumbh Labs. Guided by my mentor Prof. Ramesh Raskar, whose vision with the 2015 Kumbhathon first showed how Nashik can lead the world in people-first innovation, our team has already delivered AI capabilities for KumbhDoot to support pilgrims in 20+ Indian languages, alongside Kumbh Commerce to connect visitors directly with Nashik's local businesses.
Technology does not replace the civic institutions, temple trusts, or citizens who make Nashik extraordinary—it exists to serve them.
My Promise to Nashik
I went to Panchavati with a wedding card in my hand, thinking about the life I hoped to build. I returned carrying a promise to give back to the city that gave me my roots.
This is my promise to Nashik. And this is only the beginning.
With gratitude to Godavari Mata and a lifelong commitment to Nashik,
Saurabh Sakalkar
CEO, Kumbh Labs