What inspired a Syrian Christian banker from New York to write a book about the Maha Kumbh Mela? Read the book, India-born Yakub Mathew would say. Indeed, browsing through Seeking the Infinite answers your question in a disarmingly profound way. This epic volume captures the essence of the once-in-a-lifetime Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj early this year, transforming an ancient Hindu pilgrimage into a modern, universal spiritual guidepost. The multi-faith treatise, featuring some of the world’s leading spiritual and thought leaders, delves into the deepest human yearnings. With his lavishly produced coffee table book, Yakub is not content to give you a glimpse into India’s spiritual heartbeat; he is inviting you to begin and deepen your own inward journey.
A Birthday, a Pilgrimage, and the Promise of the Infinite
For Yakub Mathew, Managing Director – Wells Fargo Advisors, New York, who has lived in the USA for nearly four decades, the inspiration for this magnificent undertaking stemmed from a deeply personal experience. What began as a celebration of his 60th birthday in January 2025 evolved into a profound collective pilgrimage. Mathew and his wife, Shilpa, invited 17 of their close friends from across the globe and embarked on a journey to Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) in India for the Maha Kumbh, a sacred convergence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Kumbh Melas take place every 12 years in four anointed holy cities: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. However, this was the “Maha” (Great) Kumbh, occurring once every 144 years as determined by celestial alignments, making the experience of Yakub’s motley group truly extraordinary.
With a total attendance of over 660 million, the Maha Kumbh Mela, held from January 13 to February 26, was hands down the largest congregation in human history for a religious, cultural, or social event. The multifarious sights and sounds left Yakub with the humbling feeling that “I was an insignificant speck of dust on the soap bubble of the universe. It was a reality check all of us need at some point.”
The initial intent of the ‘Group of 19’ was to simply capture their memories of this singular event. However, as the journey unfolded amid the dust, devotion, and sheer spectacle of the Mela, the experience became a catalyst for introspection. It moved beyond a travelogue into a philosophical inquiry. Yakub and his group found themselves confronted by life’s most elemental questions: Who am I? What is the nature of consciousness? What is the purpose of existence? Writes Yakub, “As we dug deeper, we realized that the story of the Maha Kumbh ties all our existential questions together and gave us, the seekers of the truth, an occasion and an opportunity to look harder for the answers that have eluded humankind since time immemorial.” The result is a book that beautifully juxtaposes the ephemeral nature of Kumbh’s temporary city with the enduring truth of the infinite that it represents.
The transformative, first-hand experiences of Yakub and fellow pilgrims, compiled in the Pilgrims’ Progress section, are the soul of the book. But for context and depth, Yakub had to look far and wide.
The Symphony of Global Voices: A Multi-Faith Anthology
Perhaps the most salient and innovative point of Seeking the Infinite is its structure as a contemplative anthology. Realizing that the search for the divine is a universal experience, Yakub enriched his personal narrative with the insights of over 50 global thought leaders and enlightened individuals.
These contributors span diverse fields—from spiritual masters like Sadhguru and Maharaj Radhanath Swami Ji (ISKCON leader in Mumbai of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage), to politicians and diplomats, businessmen (Ashok Hinduja, Chair of Hinduja Group), artists (co-Foreword contributor Muzaffar Ali), scholars, and religious figures from various denominations, including Cardinal Oswald Gracias (Archbishop Emeritus of Bombay), and Haji Syed Salman Chishty (helm of the Dargah Ajmer Sharif). Each offers their unique reflection on the nature of the Infinite, and how a shared truth underlies all belief systems.
This deliberate inclusion of multi-faith and cross-cultural voices elevates the book beyond Hinduism’s spiritual heritage, transforming it into a powerful testament to interfaith harmony. This focus on unity is particularly relevant in the modern fractured world, offering the book as a necessary dialogue on coexistence and shared spirituality.
I had noticed that the buzz surrounding this Kumbh Mela was unlike any I had encountered as a journalist. This time, the Yuppies and non-believers, even non-Hindus, made up the multitudes at Prayagraj. As Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, author of Hollywood to the Himalayas, points out in her essay for the book, “like all of Sanatana Dharma traditions and wisdom, the Maha Kumbh was accessible, available and transformative for everyone, no barrier, no boundaries… the Maha Kumbh sent a powerful message of peace to the entire world, showing how we can come together.”
Grace of God & More Went into Making of the Mahakumbh of a Book
As I worked on this article before the book launch, Yakub Mathew shared with me that it is not his resources or reach but the ‘Grace of God’ that made Seeking the Infinite see the light of day, that too in just seven months after the mega event ended in February. He is particularly moved by the Dalai Lama personally blessing the book, highlighting the book’s universal appeal and spiritual gravitas. Gurudev Sri Anish, based in Dharamsala, presented a copy of the book to His Holiness in McLeodganj in late October.
From all those Yakub has acknowledged for helping create the 248-page book, I was pleasantly surprised to find Kaveree Bamzai and Sourish Bhattacharya, my journalist colleagues from India Today in Delhi in the mid-1990s, as editors. The couple is not particularly religious or spiritual, so it must have been the sublime subject matter and Yakub’s charm that brought them on board.
Yakub also felt it was divine intervention when Bandeep Singh, one of India’s finest photographers, gave him the picture for the book’s cover.
His design team must have burned the proverbial midnight oil to curate pictures for the book from the thousands available, considering the 45-day Maha Kumbh was one of the most photographed events in history. While Seeking the Infinite refuses to treat the Mela merely as a cultural or photographic spectacle, the book’s compelling visual narrative—its use of vivid, captivating photographs—immerses the reader in the vastness of the event. As Shashi Tharoor, author, Indian Member of Parliament, and former UN Under Secretary-General, notes in his Foreword, “This coffee table book is more than a collection of photographs; it is a window into the very essence—Mahima—of the Maha Kumbh. Here one finds the flowing fervor of a million lamps floating at dusk, the thunderous crescendo of horns announcing dawn’s first dip, and the profound stillness of a single pilgrim in silent communion.”
The Dual Journey of the Author
The author’s background provides a compelling counterpoint to the book’s spiritual depth. Yakub Mathew is a renowned figure in the global financial sector, with a distinguished career spanning over three and a half decades at global institutions such as Citibank, HSBC, and Wells Fargo Advisors.
This juxtaposition—a highly successful figure from the intensely results-driven world of finance dedicating himself to documenting a timeless spiritual phenomenon—underscores the universal and undeniable human need for transcendence. His journey demonstrates that the pursuit of professional excellence and the exploration of spiritual truth are not mutually exclusive; rather, they can enrich one another. His ability to lead global teams with purpose and integrity now translates into a literary endeavor guided by sincerity and a deep quest for meaning.
Yakub Mathew summarizes the book’s profound message best when he reflects, “The Infinite is not a place to reach… But a truth to remember – that within you lies a horizon without end.” In other words, the spiritual journey is not about traveling to a far-off place, but about returning to the wisdom that already resides within.
New York is the First Stop in Yakub’s Book Promotion Itinerary
Seeking the Infinite: Maha Kumbh 2025 will be launched during the prestigious IAAC (Indo-American Arts Council) Literary Festival at the International House in New York City on November 16. The landmark event will feature a distinguished panel of spiritual and cultural thought leaders, including Sadhguru, Diana Eck (founder of The Pluralism Project at Harvard University), Rabbi Scott Matous, The Very Reverend Winnie Varghese, and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. PR and marketing guru Suhel Seth will be the moderator.
Next stops for Yakub’s promotion tour for the book, which is fast getting advance orders from around the world, include Jaipur Literature Festival (January 15-19, 2026), New Delhi (March 1), Dubai (also in March), London in April, and Washington, DC in May.
In summary, Seeking the Infinite by Yakub Mathew is a visually splendid, thematically rich coffee-table book that skillfully combines awe-inspiring imagery of one of the world’s great gatherings with a thoughtful exploration of faith, humanity, and the search for meaning.
In the words of Gurudev Sri Anish, “the Divine has chosen Yakub and Shilpa Mathew as vessels to preserve and express the timeless essence of Bharat’s spiritual heritage for generations to come.”
Details of the New York event and the book are available at www.seekingtheinfinite.org
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