Kumbh 2019: A collective mass of faith

It is the time of the year where a collective mass of faith will descend on Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad). Where, for almost two months, bathing will take on a different hue and excitability as lakhs will descend on the riverbed where Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet. This point will be reclaimed for believers to purge themselves emotionally and physically.

The naked sadhus smeared in human ash have already arrived at Prayagraj, which is one of the four places in India where (it is believed) that drops of the immortality essence fell through from an urn, which the gods and demons were fighting over. So, believers visit all the four locations to reiterate their faith to the Hindu tenets.

This year, the government has made elaborate arrangements at Prayagraj to accommodate visitors. Websites have sprung up for people from across the globe and country to connect easily and make their travel plans online.

Confluence of three: Triveni Sangam

Day two of the Kumbh mela is marked with lakhs, including tourists, lining up along the Sangam for a purifying dip. People take a plunge in the Triveni Sanagm, a confluence of three rivers —the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati river. Reportedly, the word Triveni was used for the first time in 1873 to convey this very confluence in the six-volume Sanskrit work Abhidhyan Vachaspatya of Taranath Tarkvachaspati, who was associated with Government Sanskrit College, Calcutta (now Kolkata). Some historians say it was the Prayagwal Pandas who created the myth about Triveni and the Kumbh mela at Prayag in the latter part of the 19th century. 

The Yamuna and Ganga (Ganges) are two of the most sacred, and highly revered,  rivers in India. They are each of a different hue — the Ganga is brownish and the Yamuna greenish. The third river, Saraswati, however, supposedly dried up 4,000 years ago. Nevertheless, there is a belief that the Saraswati flows underneath the surface. Hindus believe that taking a dip at the Triveni Sangam will wash away sins and free them from the cycle of rebirth, thereby achieving Moksha.

Of aartis, deep daan & a parikrama

Hindus demonstrate their gratitude towards rivers through aartis on the riverbanks in which people participate to show their devotion towards nature. In Tirathraj Prayagraj, the aartis, on the banks of Ganga, Yamuna and at the Sangam, are performed in the mornings and evenings, in which priests chant hymns while holding meticulously designed lamps. The lamps represent the importance of panchtatva. 

The bathing ritual is the most significant rituals performed at Kumbh mela. Millions take part in it at the Triveni Sangam. Along with the bathing ritual, the pilgrims also worship on the banks of the holy river and participate in discourses from various sadhus and saints.

Deep Daan is also one of the rituals which devotees follow. Verbal meaning of ‘Deep daan’ is the offering of lighted earthen lamps at specific places such as the river banks, near temples, religious trees, in forests or on any other sacred location. Prayagraj Panchkoshi Parikrama is also an integral part of the mela. The mela authority has plans to re-map the circumambulation and develop the temples that appear along this path.

HISTORY

KUMBH IS AS OLD AS HISTORY ITSELF

The festival is very old. The roots of the festival are ancient with the earliest surviving historical reference dating from 644, although there are also references to river-side festivals in much more ancient Indian texts.

THE STORY OF KUMBH

According to ancient scriptures and texts, the gods were cursed by the sage ‘Durvas’ and began to lose their power.  They turned to Brahma (the creator god) and Vishnu (the preserver) for help. On their advice, the gods made a pact with the demons; in return for their assistance in attaining the nectar of immortality, they agreed to share it with them.

ELEMENTAL MEANING OF KUMBH IS:

• The confluence (Sangam) of all the cultures in the universe
• A spiritual conscience
• The flow of humanity
• The flow of rivers, forests, and rishi culture
• The flow of life
• The communion of nature and human life
• The source of energy
• The path of enlightenment

WAR OF THE TITANS

The demons met their side of the bargain and churned the primordial ocean in order to release the nectar which the gods collected in a pitcher. However, the gods then fought over the nectar and it was spilt.

FOUR HOLY SITES

The places where the nectar fell on earth are the four locations where the Kumbh Mela is celebrated till date — Haridwar, Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Nashik and Ujjain

ALIGNING WITH THE PLANETS

Each site’s celebration is based on a distinct set of astrological positions of the Sun, the Moon, and the Jupiter. The celebrations occur at the exact moment when these positions are fully occupied, as it is considered to be the holiest time

THE ASTROLOGICAL CALCULATION:

• When Jupiter enters the Aquarius constellation along with the Sun moving in to the Aries constellation, it is held at Haridwar
   
• When the Sun is in Capricorn and Jupiter moves in to Taurus, the Kumbh festival is held at Prayagraj

POWERFULLY RICH WITH KNOWLEDGE

The Kumbh Mela is an event that intrinsically encapsulates the science of astronomy, astrology, spirituality, ritualistic traditions, and socio-cultural customs and practices, making it extremely rich in knowledge

A PESHWAI GATHERING OF SHAHI SNAAN

During the Kumbh Mela, a number of ceremonies take place; the traditional procession of Akharas called ‘Peshwai’ on elephant backs, horses and chariots, the shining swords and rituals of Naga Sadhus during ‘Shahi Snaan’, and many other cultural activities that attract millions of pilgrims to attend the gathering

FROM THE TIME OF RIG VEDA

The term ‘Kumbh’ comes from the root ‘kumbhak’ (the sacred pitcher of elixir of immortality). There is a mention of ‘Kumbh’ and the bathing ritual in the Rig Veda

TRIVIA

Recognised by UNESCO in ’17

The Kumbh Mela has been inscribed on the list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO in 2017. Kumbh at Prayagraj encapsulates the science of astronomy, astrology, spirituality, ritualistic traditions, social and cultural customs and practices making it extremely rich in knowledge

More than one type of Kumbh 

Kumbh Mela is not a single event as there are Maha Kumbh Mela, Purna Kumbh Mela and Ardh Kumbh Mela. Ardh Kumbh Mela is held every six years at Haridwar and Allahabad, in between two Purna Kumbh Melas which is held after every 12 years. 

Biggest gathering in the world

The festival is known as “the biggest gathering in the world”. In 1998, 10 million people gathered at the Haridwar Kumbh Mela. In 2001, more than 40 million people gathered on the busiest of its 55 days. It is believed that around 65,000 jobs are created directly and indirectly during the Kumbh Mela.

A nectar which gods fought for

The Kumbh Mela is held on the dates when the waters of the three sacred rivers — Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati — are said to turn into nectar. The exact dates are calculated according to a combination of zodiac positions of Jupiter, the Sun and the Moon. 

Holy men from across the world

Several holy men from different Hindu sects attend the mela, such as the Nagas (who do not wear any clothes), Kalpwasis (who bathe thrice a day) and Urdhawavahurs (who believe in putting the body through severe austerities). They come to the mela to perform sacred rituals pertaining to their respective groups.