The Quest continues........ from Varanasi to Mahakumbha

A ride around the city of Varanasi in the omni present rickshaw... is not really a bad idea. It was an experience by itself. The city roads can be totally clogged ancome at standstill in every 5 minutes by the over population of rickshaws. Here the cars take the backseat leaving the way to all kinds of two & three wheelers.

I took a ride to Kal Bhairav temple and returned to the ghats after lunch. The activities at noon is little less and everything is in a lazy mood. Boatmen offering discounts, Masseurs (yes they are also there to give massage to visitors) doing hectic business, Pundits taking quick naps.... a scene of complete relaxation.

A faraway look, Varanasi

 Before the activities were to pick up in the evening I took leave .. only to come back after a couple of days. For these two & half days I was destined for the MAHAKUMBHA.

A bus ride of 4 hours and I reached Allahabad city where I had booked a guest house. While entering the city the bus had to cross a bridge across Ganga and that was the site of the Kumbha Mela. In that night I could only see the lights and imagine the size but till then I didn't know that a much bigger surprise was awaiting for me the next morning.



Kumbha Mela Nagari in night

After getting into the Guest House and looking at its condition, it became very difficult to decide what to do..... stay or not to stay there. After a lot of calls here & there and some drama I finally settled down. After all my agenda was Mahakumbha...

Next two days I used to catch the morning 6 o'clock bus to reach the Mela by 6-30. But it used  to take another 20-30min walk from the bus stop to Sangam through the walkways inside the Pop up megacity.


After the Holy dip in Ganga

I was awestruck when I first stepped in this city. It was a true pop up mega city (covering a total area of 5000 acres) with Tent houses of Akharas, Ashrams, Hospitals, Cafe, Resorts, Police stations etc. etc. The complete area was lit by some 25000 lights and more than 2000miles of cables.

In this year's Mahakumbha, started from 14th Januray for 55 days, an estimated 75million people visited and had taken the Holy dip.

Colours of Kumbha

Kumbha Mela takes place every twelve years at one of the four places: Allahabad (Prayag), Haridwar, Ujjain & Nasik. The Ardh Kumbha Mela is celebrated every six years. Mahakumbha Mela is held once in 144 years only in Prayag.

Kumbha Mela is the largest congregation of humanity on this planet. The first written evidence of this Mela is found in the accounts of Huan Tsang who visited India in 629 - 645CE.


Early morning in Kumbha

As per the religious belief, demigods had lost their strength by the curse of Durvasa Muni. When they approached Lord Brahma & lord Shiva, they were directed to Lord Vishnu. After praying to lord Vishnu, he instructed them to churn the ocean of milk and find the nectar of immorality (amrita).

The demigods made a temporary agreement with demons (asuras) to work together promising to share the wealth. Decades spent in churning and finally the pitcher (kumbha) containing the nectar appeared and a fight ensued between the demigods and demons which was fought for twelve days and twelve nights (equivalent twelve years for human).

In search of Moksha

During the battle Lord Vishnu flew away with the pitcher spilling drops of nectar at four places Allahabad, Hardwar, Ujjain & Nashik. The Kumbha Mela takes place in these four places.

The Mela was like an ocean of humanity. Lakhs and lakhs of people moving around with a single aim of taking a holy dip in Sangam (where river Ganga, yamuna and mythical river Saraswati converge) in order to wash away all sins and attain freedom (moksha) from the cycle of life and death.



Colours & Patterns

I was amazed to see the never ending flow of people, converging from all directions, with a single belief. This, in true sense, is living the religion of Hinduism. Here a non - believer can easily turn to be a believer.
 

The 55days mela this year, had drawn approximately 75 million people which is much higher than the total population of many countries. Not only the devotees, the mela attracted politicians, film personalities, researchers from India and abroad (even from the famous Harvard University), writers, fashion gurus & designers to gather ideas from, film directors and numerous photographers and journalists from all over the world.



Inside the Akhara

A major part of the total pop up mega city houses the Akharas of Naga Sadhus. They are followers of the Shiva sect and are representative of Lord Shiva. They have long knotted hair and naked body smeared with ashes. They are categorized into Akharas, something similar to army regiments.





They take out processions and go for holy dip on the Shahi Snan (royal bathing) days during the mela. These processions are led by Mahamandelswars (head teacher), riding horse or grand chariots. The Naga sadhus carry swords, axes, tridents and other weapons.

Naga Sadhu in Kumbha

In my trip to Mahakumbha, I have purposely left out the Shahi Snan days in apprehension of crowds. Moreover I wanted to see the face of faith & belief of Hinduism, the roots of Kumbha Mela. There are so much of documentations of Naga Sadhus in all visual media, I didn't want to add on to that.



Faith personified

The activities in Kumbha include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men & women and the poor, religious assemblies to debate on various doctrines. I have also seen various groups of people hailing from different nook & corners and also from different ashrams, scattered all over the country, performing Puja on the banks of Ganga in their own style.

Apart from Naga Sadhus, there are umpteen number of sadhus, clad in Saffron sheets attend this mela.

There were a huge number of Kalpavasis honouring Brata. They would stay throughout the Kumbha mela, stay in makeshift houses or tents and take dip during sunrise. Most of them would have food once a day.

The Mela administration take special care about Kalpavasis.

This was my first visit to anything so big and overwhelming. I spent my time very selectively. I tried to be around the waterfront during mornings and from afternoon till nights; mid days I used to walk around the Akharas and various other spots which I found interesting.


A Sadhu taking bath

When I entered the first Akhara, I was very apprehensive. Here I found groups of devotees and believers around naga Baba (saints) discussing their problems and taking blessings. It was faith and belief which was being practiced everywhere.

After the first one, I visited many more Akharas and saw similar scenes. Nothing seemed out of place. The Nakedness of the saints seemed to be only a part of belief and ritual. All these Akharas distribute free food; I too tasted these. The food was quite nice and tasty.




Devotees from Ranikhet offering Puja to Devi Ganga

On the second day of my stay, the local administration banned photography in the waterfront. They picked us out and told to be 100mt. away from a white line (drawn 100mt. from the bank of Ganges). Initially there were lot of altercations but finally all the photographers dispersed. It came as a shocker to me, having come so far, I won't be able to make images I scripted carefully, in my dreams. One such was "A Sadhu taking bath". I wanted to have more water spraying out of the hairs and beard; but had to be contended with the one above.


Hawan on the banks of Ganges

Kumbha Mela had been depicted in many films in Bollywood where brothers, friends get separated, parents lose their child etc. etc. I didn't have such a chance as I was alone. But I have heard countless announcements in the Public address system about lost relatives. The husband would try to speak to his Telegu speaking wife, a son would ask his old Bhojpuri speaking father to return to the control tower. There were thousands of such lost cases reported and announced.


Offering milk to Devi Ganga

The trip to Kumbha was a real eye opener for me. the first day, on my way back from the mela, I stopped at a makeshift Dhaba (fast food joint) for a cup of tea. With tea, I started talking to an elderly couple sitting next to me. They came from some city of Madhya Pradesh and reached Kumbha Mela  that morning after an overnight journey. Their plan was to spend the day in the mela, have a dip in Sangam and take the evening train back home. Initially I couldn't believe that a couple in mid fifties, from a well to do background could really have such bohemian plan; but more I heard, I believed them. However, by the evening they were offered a free stay by one of the Ashrams and had changed their original plan.


Devottes during Sunset

I didn't wanted to sound odd, but I appreciated their enthusiasm and saluted their spirit. I realised what does Kumbha mean.

I can not express how I felt when one blind couple reached the banks of Sangam holding each other. In the free hand the man was carrying a box and the woman was holding a stick & trying to figure out their way. For me it was so unbelievable and unique.


The smiling girl

Its really difficult to express in words what I have seen & experienced in those two & half days. But my narration won't be even half baked if I don't mention those simpleton boys and girls selling trinkets. They were from the heart of India and they had those enviable asset of Innocence and invaluable smiles. In my half and hour chit chat with such a gang, they asked me all sorts of question, including how much I earn. But believe me, they never sounded over smart. I was touched by their simplicity.


A devotee in Kumbha

I heard but now I also believe that Kumbha is not just a Mela and neither is comparable with anything else. Its a congregation of humanity and is all about Faith, Believe and Emotions which are typical of Indians. But such are the strengths of these feelings that many foreigners are now drawn to these. There are more than enough documentation of foreigners coming here in search of peace and many of them staying back.


Sunset over Kumbha

Non-believers might remain non-believers, once the Kumbha is over. But they would be lying if they claim that there were no moments during the mela when their faithfulness has never challenged.