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MAHA KUMBH MELA

Posted in India, Photography with tags Allahabad, Apratim, Apratim Saha, Culture, India, Indian, Kumbh, Kumbh Mela, Maha Kumbh Mela, Naga, priest, Sadhu on July 27, 2014 by Apratim Saha

Kumbh Mela, the largest spiritual gathering of mankind on the Earth, is held every 12 years on the banks of the ‘Sangam’- the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Millions of devotees take a holy dip in the sacred water during the mela. Maha Kumbha Mela held only at Prayag, once in every 144 years.

It is believed that at the historic moment of the Maha Kumbh Mela, the river turns itself into sanctity spots filled with ‘Amrita’ (Panacia or elixir of immortality). The pilgrims get once in a lifetime chance to bathe in the spirit of holiness, auspiciousness and salvation.

As mythology tells us, when Gods (Devtas) and Demons (Asura) used to reside on Earth, Gods were under the influence of a curse that gave birth of fear in them eventually making them weak. Brahma (the Creator) advised them to churn the milky ocean to obtain the elixir of immortality (Amrita). And Kumbh was the spot chosen to store the nectar of immortality recovered from Samudramanthan.

For 12 heavenly days and 12 heavenly nights, equivalent to 12 Earthly years, Gods were chased by Demons for the possession of Amrita. During the chase for the Amrita, few drops of this elixir out of its ‘Kumbha’ (Pot) fell on four places now known as Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. The whole Kumbha mela (carnival) and its cycle is a remembrance of that Mythological story. The mela takes place in all these four places. Out of these the one celebrated at the Holy Sangam in Allahabad is the largest and believed to be the holiest one. Thus the Kumbh Mela became one of the main festivals of Hindus as well as the largest spiritual gathering of mankind on Earth.

Enjoy the spirit of Maha Kumbha Mela here….

YAGGYAN (Worship of fire)

“THE READER”

You don’t require being alone to concentrate.

SONDHA AROTI (Evening Puja) on the Ganges at Allahabad.

KUMBH MEMORIES

NAGA

SONDHI PUJA (Evening Puja)

CARRYING AWAY

It was estimated that this year more than twenty six thousand people has been lost, thousands has been injured and in a tragic accident more than hundred was stampede.

TILAK

PROUD TO HAVE A GREAT MUSTACHE

JAI HO

NAGA

JATRA (MUSICAL FOLK THEATRE)

Jatra (Musical Folk Theatre)There are lot of different kind of amusement activity in Kumbh Mela. One of the most popular among them is Jatra (Musical Folk Theatre) based on ancient mythological epic stories.

A MUNDAN CEREMONY AT KUMBH MELA

India is country of rituals, customs & traditions. The Shudhikaran (arrangement of the hair tuft) or the Mundan, is the eighth of the sixteen Hindu ceremony, in which a child receives his or her first haircut. According to this ceremony it should take place at the end of first year or before the expiry of the third year, but the later authorities extend the age to the seventh year. It is believed that the hair from birth is associated with undesirable characters from previous lives which have to be removed by shaving off the hair. Thus at the time of the Mundan, the child is freshly shaven to signify freedom from the past and moving into the future.