A SHORT TRIP TO PRAYGRAJ ARDH KUMBHA MELA 2019

Kumbha Mela is listed on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is one of the most sacred places of pilgrimage to the Hindus. The occurrence has evolved over the course of time on a very large scale. It has been a subject of exploration among various researchers as it brings a large number of visitors from all over the world.

The Kumbha for me has been a point of convergence of numerous interests.  I was eager to visit Kumbha because of various reasons. Firstly, to meet The Naga Sadhus. Secondly, to understand the crowd management system. Lastly, to feel the excitement of the crowd and provide the first-hand experience of being on the world's biggest religious conglomeration.

It was a lovely winter evening in February 2019. I had planned a trip to Prayagraj to visit Kumbha Mela and booked a waitlisted ticket one month prior. Individuals from everywhere over the world come to India to visit The Kumbha . The likelihood of getting a confirmed reservation was low because of the hefty surge. Out of nowhere, my cellphone blared. I was anticipating some official messages. Be that as it may, surprisingly, it was a railway ticket confirmation notification.

Nowadays Indian Railways confirm waitlisted tickets only 4 hours before train departure time. So I had almost no ideal opportunity to pack and leave. I kept a few woolens and left for the railway station. The plan was to go around evening time, arrive at Prayagraj by early morning, wander during the daytime in Kumbha and leave before dinnertime for Delhi. No inns, hotels or wash n change. It was going to be a raw pilgrimage tour experience. 

I reached Praygraj in the morning as per the plan. There was a huge gathering of pilgrims. All moving in one direction towards the river bank. The administration usually stops all cab services and the only option is to take a walk or hire a rickshaw. Unaware of the route to the holy site, the wiser idea was to follow the herd. It took around an hour to arrive at the sacred location including a 10 minutes tea break.

After navigating my way through the crowd I managed to take a dip in the river. The journey was like a holy dip into Indian culture and spirituality.

First glimpse of the event:

Let's have a look at some interesting facts about the Kumbha at Prayagraj that I learned in my journey:-

Why it is called Kumbha Mela?

In Sanskrit, the term Kumbha comes from the root word "Kumbha," which 

literally means "pitcher or pot." Mela means uniting. According to the Puranas (compilation of Hindu ancient legends), the demons and gods were engaged in a battle to get hold of a holy pitcher of amrita (nectar of immortality),  a few drops of it dropped on four locations, which are today known as Haridwar, Nasik, Prayag, and Ujjain.

Why is Kumbha celebrated?

The festival was started by a Hindu philosopher and saint named Adi Shankara in the 8th Century, to encourage major Hindu gatherings for philosophical discussions and debates across the Indian subcontinent.

It is said that it took twelve divine days to carry the  Amrit to the heavens. As one divine day is equal to 12 human years and therefore, the Mela is celebrated every twelve years, at each of the four sacred sites in this cycle. The rivers are believed to have turned into Amrit at the cosmic moment, giving pilgrims the chance to bathe at that auspicious point of time.  

Where the Kumbha Mela is celebrated? 

It is celebrated on river-banks of 04 different cities : 

• Prayagraj  (Ganges-Yamuna Sarasvati rivers confluence)

• Haridwar (Ganges)

• Nashik (Godavari)

• Ujjain (Shipra)

 

When The Kumbha Mela Occurs? 

The Ardha (half) Kumbha Mela takes place every six years in Prayag and Haridwar. Purna (complete) Kumbha Mela, however, takes place every 12 years in one of these four locations, depending on planetary movements.

 

The dates for the celebration of each location are decided in advance based on a special combination of the zodiacal positions of Brahaspati (Jupiter), Surya (Sun), and Chandra (Moon). Relative years vary between the four sites, but the cycle is repeated every 12 years. Since Jupiter's orbit is completed in 11.86 years, the transition in the calendar year occurs in approximately 8 cycles. Around once a century, Kumbh Mela returns to the site after 11 years.

What are the rituals and auspicious dates?

Aartis are performed on the banks of Ganga, Yamuna, and Sangam with great admiration, deep-rooted respect, and devotion.

Bathing or diving in the waters of the river, with prayer, is the basic rite of Kumbh Melas for all pilgrims. Customarily, on Amavasya – the most revered day of bathing – Hindu pilgrims welcome and wait for thirteen sadhu akharas to bathe first. This gathering, called shahi snan or rajyogi snan, is marked by a processional march, with banners, flags, and musicians along with the monks.

Kalpvas, at the holy confluence of Prayagraj during Kumbh, has a special significance. According to 'Brahma Purana' and 'Padma Purana,' the Kalpvas cycle is from the full moon Ekadashi in the Paush month to the 'Maghi Ekadashi.' There are 21 laws of mind, voice, and behavior that the Kalpvasi must follow.

About The Naga Sadhus

In the 16th century, to shield Hindus from the tyranny of the Mughal rulers, Madhusudana Saraswati of Bengal organized a segment of the Naga (naked) tradition of armed sannyasis. Usually, the naga sadhus remain in the field of non-violence and live a very ascetic life.
 
The Naga sadhus are prominent at Kumbh Mela, where the order in which they enter the water is fixed by tradition. After the Juna akhara, the Niranjani and Mahanirvani Akhara proceed to their bath. Ramakrishna Math Sevashram is almost the last in the procession.

Finally, I took the train by evening and arrived in Delhi in the morning. Everything went as planned. The fate of such short trips depends on time management. 

Thanks to Indian Railways for being able to maintain train punctuality in the foggy winter season.  

          An interesting acquaintance  

Though I did not take a night's stay, the best place to stay at Prayagraj is the hotel Kanha Shyam. There are many other places of interest, such as the Allahabad University, which was founded by the British during the British Raj, and several contemporary monuments, each representing a different period of time in the history of the city. Alfred Park, All Saints Cathedral, Allahabad Museum, and Anand Bhavan are some other must-see places of Prayagraj.

The trip had a very profound influence on my spiritual quest. The carousel of pictures of the sages, the visitors,  people taking a holy dip,  tilaks still run in my mind. Returning to such a huge gathering seems like a distant dream in this pandemic situation, but I hope that we all will travel again, fearlessly and nonchalantly, just like old times.

Let's hope! hope and hope for the best.
 
See you in the next post.