Considered one of the largest muster to take place in world’s history,
Kumbh Mela is a unique religious ceremony with, at times over 75 million people taking pains to visit the holy gathering in quest for eternal salvation from the cycle of birth and death. The festival is a consequence of an old legend with its origins in the Samudra Manthan episode (Churning of the Ocean of milk) having presence in all important holy texts of Hinduism. The legend pronounces that in the mythical age of gods and demons when they resided on earth, a battle ensued between them for the possession of the panacea of eternal life called Amrit, and lasted for 12 days and 12 nights that equals 12 human years. During the fray, a few drops of the nectar of immortality fell from the Kumbha (Sanskrit for pitcher) on Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik, hence imparting anagogic powers to these places of worship. To absorb these occult powers is what the hoard of humanity comes for to these destinations with their impregnable belief in the absolving capacity of the holy waters of the river(s) in each town.
The festival witnesses thousands of sadhus in saffron sheets, with their bodies smeared with ash, religious discussions of grand scale, and devotional singing by the entranced devotees. Particular attraction of the event is the Naga Sanyasis, monks, considered preservers of faith, who have renounced the world and refuse to wear clothes even in the severest of winter. Pilgrims from all walks of life make offerings to the departed souls of their dear ones. The overriding idea ruling this congregation is to achieve the ideal state of consciousness with a single minded devotion of all to unknot the mystery of life.
Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 3 years, the Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela every 6 years, and Maha Kumbh Mela every 12 years. Apart from the religious flavor to the festival, Science also has its role to play since the dates, as well as the location for the festival are decided every time by involving the dynamics of astronomy and astrology, paying attention to the zodiacal position of stars and constellations which make it scientifically beneficial as well to take dip in the river. Year 2013 is the year for
Maha Kumbh Mela which will be held in Prayag (according to planetary positions), where the ritual bath ceremony will take place on the banks of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati (believed to exist only on the spiritual plane and not on the physical), where the 3 rivers commingle.
Important bathing dates for the same are:
- Paush Purnima: 27 January 2013
- Ekadashi Snan: 6 February 2013
- Mauni Amavasya Snan: 10 February 2013 *This is the main bathing date
- Basant Panchami Snan: 15 February 2013
- Rath Saptami Snan: 17 February 2013
- Bhisma Ekadashi Snan: 18 February 2013
- Maghi Purnima Snan: 23 February 2013
To conclude, here’s what Mark Twain had to say when he visited the
Kumbh Mela of 1895:
“It is wonderful, the power of a faith like that, that can make multitudes upon multitudes of the old and weak and the young and frail enter without hesitation or complaint upon such incredible journeys and endure the resultant miseries without repining. It is done in love, or it is done in fear; I do not know which it is. No matter what the impulse is, the act born of it is beyond imagination, marvelous to our kind of people, the cold whites.”
