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The Kumbh Mela Festival (INDIA)
The Kumb Mela is such a large
gathering with such a crowd that even jokes have been made by Bollywood
make films where when characters lose each other for a while they say,
“Where were you?.... in the Kumbh?”
That is why if you ever decide to join the Kumbh Mela with loved ones, be sure to ever let their hands go because as you yourself will see, people create rows of 5 to 10, all holding their hands not letting go. Once you let go you will lose each other for a very long time (there are even stories in India of family relatives losing each other at the Kumbh and never seeing each other for 20 years!)
According to astrologers, the 'Kumbh Fair' takes place when the planet Jupiter enters Aquarius and the Sun enters Aries.
Kumbha (Kumbha means pot) Mela (means fair) is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage that takes place at the following four locations of India:
Prayag, Allahabad (in the state of Uttar Pradesh) at the confluence of three holy rivers - Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and Saraswati
Haridwar (in the state of Uttar Pradesh) where the river Ganga enters the plains from Himalayas
Ujjain (in Madhya Pradesh), on the banks of shipra river, and
Nasik (in Maharashtra) on the banks of Godavari river.
The pilgrimage occurs four times every twelve years, once at each of the four locations. Each twelve-year cycle includes the Maha (great) Kumbha Mela at Prayag, attended by millions of people, making it the largest pilgrimage gathering around the world.
The story behind the Kumbh Mela: The legend
According to one source, the gods, who had been defeated by the demons, approached Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, seeking the boon of rejuvenation and the gift of immortality. Vishnu directed them to the primeval ocean in which were hidden the secrets of life and death.
The gods sought the help of the demons, to whom they promised part of the spoils. Making a paddle out of Mount Mandar and a rope out of serpent Anant Nag, they churned the ocean till it yielded the holy cow and the flying horse, the lyre and the siren, Lakshmi and Vishwakarma.
Finally, Dhanvantari, the divine physician, emerged holding the Kumbh (pitcher) of Amrit (the nectar of life) that could bestow immortality. As both the demons and the gods plunged for the pot, Dhanvantari changed himself into a rook and flew off to the heavens, with the pitcher. On his journey, which lasted twelve days, he rested at four spots - Prayag, Nasik, Ujjain and Haridwar, which have consequently been consecrated by drops of nectar that fell there. Therefore, these places are considered holy by the Hindus and have become important pilgrim spots.
Because it is considered that during the Kumbh Mela, the Ganges waters are at their holiest, it is a must that people swim or have their bodies cleansed with it. At the Kumbh, it is very common to see the Saddhus walk in groups to the Ganges in order to cleanse themselves. However, a tip from us: Keep your distance from the Saddhus at this period of the year, because if for any reason you annoy them, they could counter behave in an erradic way, and if these very holy people harm you (they have swords) they are not accountable for anything because of the Kumbh!
On our voyage through the streets of Allahabad, a combination of tradition and technology struck us, when we were given a chance to listen to Indian music through a gigantic audio-Indian doll amonst the ascetic Saddhus, pilgrims for all over India and tourists. The Kumbh Mela was a sight to see….
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