Lancet: Experts criticise India's complacency over Covid-19

While the article is correct in pointing out the government's complacency over Covid-19, I'm not sure whether mass gatherings were the reason for the second wave.

Of course, mass gatherings in such a period are stupid and will only lead to a huge amount of cases and deaths, but India had already crossed 100,000 cases a day well before the Kumbh, driven by 70,000 cases a day in the state of Maharashtra, where there were no political rallies and the state has nothing to do with the Kumbh.

I'd be happy to understand why this is so from someone with a deeper understanding of the situation.