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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Maha Kumbh Mela- the Indian carnival of the sages and naked saints

    The festive days never impediment in India. If one of the festivals depart, then the other one is just ready to plunge in. And this time India is to get the privilege of the Kumbh mela. Visitors round the world have gathered at Allahbad. Again this mela is to top the list of visitors. 'Melas' means a kind of carnival where people gather with gay-abandon. The system of such kind of melas in india has really a mythological reason.
     Kumbh melas are too of three types- 'Ardha Kumbh Mela' that helds after 6years, 'Purna Kumbh Mela' that helds after 12 years and 'Maha Kumbh Mela that helds after 12 Purna Kumbh Melas, i.e., after 144 years. 2013 is lucky enough to bear up the Maha Kumbh Mela. And Allahbad is the place to bear up the mela rush. The 45 day mela started on 14 of Jan.

      Kumbh mela is among the most famous of the melas. The legendary mythology says that this mela originated of a fight between two brothers for a kumbh containing immortal fluid. When the Devas and the Danavas fought for the kumbh that poped out due to the samudra manthan, then the sacred drops of amrut fell at four spots, Prayag, Ujjain, Nashik and Haridwar. According to the scientific and astrological aspects it is celebrated when the Sun and the planet Jupiter takes thir position in the constellation of Aquarius and Aries, crowds gather at the Triveni Sangam, where Yamuna, Ganga and Saraswati meet. This mela, though adds to the pollution of the pre-polluted rivers, but yet it is believed sacred to bathe in its lap. The belief says that the one who bathes in this sangam in the month of magh shall win over the cycle of rebirth and all the sinse of that pilgrim shall cleanse off. Yet neither has anyone seen the sins graph nor has anyone reported his pilgrimage after death.  But though beliefs and realities form a horizon, but who knows whether this horizon submerges or not. And how can a polluted river clean up all your beefcake mess? Its quite a bit wrangling. But yet always a bath in the sangam shall soothe you up and freshen your brain and add up an odour of wisdom in your behaviour, for just having a pich of faith in the belief shall always help you mentally.

       And for the cinematography and write ups, this kumbh mela is the among the most commonly aiding element in a story of someone lost years ago, and met of a miracle by the omnipotent. And then whats next, the mention of these melas in the movies, adds spices to the flavor of this carnival.
       Now if we talk of the visual scene of the maha kumbh mela, then sprinkles up drops of saffron in our thoughts. Just of the remindance of the numerous sages and saints that yell and sing and groom themselves and submerge themselves into the mighty ocean of beliefs and consecrate themselves by bathing in the Yamuna, the Ganges and the Saraswati meet. But something little weird includes the visage and the physical appearance of the naked sages. Their dreadlock and matted hair and their ash filled body, gives us an impression of their divinely devotion to the Almighty. The way they just don't care for their own looks and attires. The way they express their love for the creator, the way that they walk miles, keeping faith in the unproven belief is something astonishing and something that shall touch up our intimate soul and our hearts.
      Whatsoever is it, whatsoever the belief is, whosoever comes to visit the maha kumbh mela, but i really ought to be there. I really ought to see such a grand gathering. I really ought to bathe beneath the hot sun in the chill water. There's something that attracts me there. I just don't know what, but something like a kind of a force. I can feel the way the cool and holy water shall rush into my nostrils. The way it shall lick me wherever i frown in the rivers. The way the sacredness shall touch up my heart and my soul. The way i can even feel refreshed of the thought of the millions of my earthian fellows that are present there, for an aim a bit like that of mine. The same aims, the same contemplations of the kumbh visitors is quite a lot thrilling. Hope there's a good arrangement for the millons. But whatsoever it is. The nectar of immortalness awaits us there. Lets go and have a sip of it.

4 comments:

  1. it is believed in Hindu mythology — drops of nectar fell from the Kumbh carried by gods after the sea was churned. The festival is billed as the "biggest gathering on Earth".It is held every third year at one of the four places by rotation: Haridwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Nasik and Ujjain. Thus the Kumbh Mela is held at each of these four places every twelfth year. Ardh (Half) Kumbh Mela is held at only two places, Haridwar and Allahabad, every sixth year. The rivers at these four places are: Ganga (Ganges) at Haridwar, confluence (“Sangam”) of Ganga and Yamuna at Prayag, Godawari at Nasik and Shipra at Ujjain.

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  2. Thank you very much Sonika Rajkotia!

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