NEW DELHI - The Maha Kumbh Mela
(fair), reckoned to be the largest religious
gathering of people on the planet, has gotten off
to an atmospheric start at Prayag (Allahabad) in
the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, as it draws
millions of pilgrims from across the world.
The 55-day festival, which takes place
once every 12 years, revolves around a ritual
bathing at the Mahasangam, the confluence of the
holy Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical
Saraswati. The dip, pilgrims
believe, cleanses the soul and liberates one from
the cycle of birth and death.
The mega
event - which rotates between the cities of
Allahabad, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjian - is
considered especially auspicious this year due to
a rare planetary juxtaposition that transpires
once every 147 years.
The primary purpose
behind organizing the Kumbh Mela, say pundits, is
to commemorate the epic fight between the Gods and
the demons over the Amrita Kumbha (Pot of Nectar
of Immortality). According to legend, Lord Vishnu
vanquished the demons by capturing the Kumbha
(pot) of elixir, drops from which spilled over at
Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. During the
fair, it is believed, the river water at these
spots morphs into purifying nectar to help cleanse
the devotees' souls.
The fair gained
traction during the 8th century when philosopher
Adi Shankaracharya formally instituted a system of
community baths and structured gatherings for
scholars and seers to discuss, debate and
propagate Hinduism.
Faith is indeed
palpable amongst the pilgrims at Kumbh, some of
who travel for days, occasionally on foot,
eschewing all forms of modern transport. They put
up with sundry other hardships as well, such as
sleeping on the ground sans bedding in open
maidans (fields) in extremely low
temperatures. The belief is that by putting the
body through these rigors, followed by the holy
dip, moksha (deliverance) will be attained.
Provisions were made for three shahi
snans (royal baths) this year - on the opening
day, January 14 (Makar Sankranti), February 10
(Mauni Amavasya) and February 15 (Basant
Panchami). Nearly a million people took a bath at
the event on the opening day without any mishap,
good fortune that devotees attributed to the power
of faith.
"How can you explain millions
congregating and bathing at one place sans
[without] any negativity? It can only be only
attributed to a sublime force," elaborates Baba
Gururdev, a Delhi-based seer and a fair regular.
Old timers recall that though in modern
times an established bathing order has been put in
place, there are records of bloody disputes
between religious groups jostling for precedence.
Various types of sadhus (seers),
belonging to different religious sects, throng the
event and are the show's highlight. However, the
stars of this spiritual constellation are
inarguably the Nagas (the naked sadhus)
with their long, matted hair and ash-smeared
bodies. Constant exposure to the weather, it is
believed, makes the Nagas immune to worldly
pains like extreme cold and heat. They also have
bloodshot eyes which is attributed to their
penchant for marijuana, a drug they believe
facilitates attainment of nirvana.
Naga
Sadhu Visweswarayya, who claims to be 102 years
old, admits that apart from being a spiritual
event, the Kumbh Mela is also a great social
lubricant. "I meet all my brothers from across the
world here. This is very enriching and forges a
close bond between all of us."
The baths
usually begin at about 3am when the pilgrims move
in an organized fashion towards the river. After
the dip, new clothes are donned and a ritual
evoking the holy Ganges conducted by the river
bank. The devotees then move around the venue to
listen to religious discourses and gain spiritual
insight.
Be that as it may, the mega event
is a logistical nightmare for the state
administration of Uttar Pradesh which has been
preparing for it since October. Officials
disclosed that they are expecting about 15 to 20
million visitors this year with the total budget
for the event pegged at US$219 million.
The Kumbh City - a 51-kilometer makeshift
venue - is a microcosm of a real city. It hosts
hundreds of tents, 125 ration shops and 12
warehouses to cater to the visitors' daily needs
for grains, groceries, vegetables and fruits.
According to state officials, 22 doctors and 120
ambulances are in attendance round-the-clock. Near
the riverbed, 156 km of new metallic plate roads
have been laid and 571 km of water pipelines
constructed to cater for the pilgrims' needs. Over
800 km of electric wires provide electricity to
the venue through 48 power sub-stations.
Over 30,000 policemen will be guarding the
venues supervised by 30 new police stations and 70
new companies of paramilitary forces. "The heavy
and visible deployment of police is a huge
deterrent for trouble makers," explains
sub-inspector Ram Asray. "It also ensures that
rivalries of the assorted religious groups over
the sequence of bathing does not trigger violence
or a stampede."
However, apart from the
basics, there are sybaritic trappings too. The
state-owned UP Tourism Department has set up a
colony of "Maharaja" tents at the venue to cater
to upmarket tourists. At about $200 per night, the
accommodation offers a master bedroom furnished
with an exquisite wooden bed, a coffee table and
chairs, a dressing room, a bathroom fitted with
modern amenities and a private verandah.
Visitors say that the real charm of the
Kumbh Mela, aside from its overt religious
overtones, lies in its egalitarian and secular
nature. The event embraces people from different
castes, cultures, nationalities and religious
backgrounds. This year's event, for instance, is
being attended by over 2,500 religious and social
organizations along with Bollywood and Hollywood
stars, film producers and tycoons.
Actor
Catherine Zeta Jones, who will be attending the
fair with spouse Michael Douglas said in a
statement: "I've been going through a tough period
in my life. What I require for my mental health
and well-being is some peace and tranquility. I
swear by yoga, which I believe has its roots in
India. So I really want to visit India again
specifically during the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage and
I am told it is a sight to behold for the eyes and
soul."
Businesses will be thriving too at
the cosmic-meets-commercial carnival. The
Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry's
(ASSOCHAM) mentioned in a report titled "Maha
Kumbh Mela 2013 - Possible Revenue Generation
Resources for Uttar Pradesh" that the pilgrimage
would generate employment opportunities for more
than 600,000 workers in sectors spanning airlines
and airports, hotels, tours, and infrastructure.
It also expected the festival to trigger a surge
in medical and eco-tourism.
Airlines,
hotels, tour operators in Uttar Pradesh are thus
expected to reap a windfall. The government will
likely see its coffers swell by about $3 billion.
The unorganized sector too, stands to gain
substantially from the fair, with visitors
expected from Australia, the UK, Canada, Malaysia,
Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand, Mauritius,
Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
Uttar Pradesh
Tourism and the Railways, which in cooperation
with airports and private hospitals has launched
attractive tours and medical tourism packages for
visitors, are in for some tidy profits too, the
ASSOCHAM paper says.
"We're targeting 100%
occupancy across all segments - the small, budget
and luxury hotels - during the Maha Kumbh," said
Ravi Uppal, general secretary of a local hotels'
lobby group, said.
Neeta Lal is
a widely published writer/commentator who
contributes to many reputed national and
international print and Internet publications.
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