Tryst at the Sangam – Part II

Excerpts from real life experiences and knowledge reference from www.kalpavasi.com

Makar Sankranti generally falls around the 14^th of January at the time of the harvest festival – Pongal – in South India and the Kumbha Mela at Allahabad began with all the pomp and glory for which it is famous. The temperature dropped to a freezing below zero on the evening of the 13th, but bathers were not to be discouraged. Just past midnight, thousands began to enter the confluence of the three rivers, immersing themselves in the icy cold water. Loud chanting of "Bolo Ganga Mai ki jai (all glory to Mother Ganga)" filled the clear night air as the pilgrims washed away their bad karma. They came away from the bathing area wrapped in blankets and shivering from the cold. But as quickly as they came out of the water, thousands more came in their wake. With continual chants of “Bolo Ganga Mai ki jai" they entered the waters.

At dawn the sky reddened and the sun rose to reveal a crowd of five million enthusiasts slowly advancing towards the Sangam. From the center of that mass of humanity came a marvelous procession announcing the official beginning of the Kumbha Mela. Bands played, people danced in jubilation, and colorful flags and banners flew above the crowd.

The procession was headed by the Nagas, India's famed naked holy men. These holy men engage themselves in renunciation of the world in search of equilibrium. They hope to escape the world's concomitant reactions and suffering by their austere practices such as complete celibacy and non-accumulation of material possessions. Hence they are also known as liberationists. With matted locks of hair, their bodies covered in ashes, and their tridents (the symbol of a follower of Shiva) raised high, they descended upon the bathing area. Entering the water in a tumult, blowing conch shells and singing "Shiva ki jai, Ganga ki jai," they splashed the sacred waters upon each other and played just like children. Indeed, they are said to be the very children of the Ganges.

They are followed by the Vaishnava Vairagis, the wandering mendicants who dedicate everything to Lord Vishnu, the Sustainer. These saints live a life of service and complete dedication. Then come the innumerable other sects of ascetics dressed in saffron colored cloth and carrying their staffs of renunciation. It seemed like the the bygone eras of India’s spiritual evolution were simultaneously present together in procession each awaiting their turn to bathe in the Sangam.

Several hours pass before the procession is finished amd only then does the mass bathing of the pilgrims commence. From the high banks of the river one could see the dark blue water of the Yamuna mixing with the silver gray water of the Ganges. Bathers, immersed up to the waist, scooped up water with folded palms and offered it to heaven in a timeless gesture. Boatmen rowed their boats full of pilgrims to a small sandbar in the middle of the Sangam which soon disappeared under a cloud of bathers. There was none to young or old for this occasion. Some bathers made offerings of flowers, sweets, and colored dyes to the sacred waters, while others offered Vedic hymns. The chanting of OM - the supreme combination of letters - and Sanskrit mantras issued from the lips of every pilgrim.

As night fell, thousands of campfires could be seen burning along the riverbanks. In the central festival area, decorated pandals (large tents) accommodated the thousands who listened to some of India's most exalted gurus lecturing on spiritual and philosophical topics. In some pandals there were Indian drama and classical dance groups whose exotic costumes and performances attracted large audiences. In others there were elaborate displays and dioramas illustrating the stories from India's ancient epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. There was so much to see and do that there was never a dull moment.

Some pilgrims prefer to come to the Kumbha Mela on the days of the big sacred baths like Makar Sankranti and then return home, while others prefer to set up camp and stay for the entire duration. During the Maha Kumbha Mela at Allahabad there were six scheduled days for auspicious baths. Those who remained for the full tenure of the mela and observe all the important baths under a strict pious regime are called kalpvasis. For more information on Kalpavasi’s refer to www.kalpavasi.com

That year the Indian government spent more than 8 million dollars on preliminary organization for the Kumbha Mela. According to national newspaper reports, arrangements provided 5000 gallons of purified drinking water every minute; 8000 buses which shuttle pilgrims in and out of the festival area that was spread over 300- acres; 16000 outlets and 6000 poles provided electrical facilities; 6000 sweepers and sanitation employees who worked around the clock to maintain health standards; 9 pontoon bridges which spanned the Ganges at critical junctions; 20000 policemen, firemen, and the Indian National Guard who kept a constant vigil at various checkpoints and with the help of closed circuit TV cameras guarded against traffic congestion and other possible outbreaks or disturbances; and 100 doctors and nurses on call at all times at medical assistance stations which were spread around the camp.

An entire city sprang up along the banks of the river during the Kumbha Mela complete with markets, hospitals, and even a tourist camp to accommodate visitors from foreign countries. It was also interesting to note that all the food arrangements throughout the festival were vegetarian. There was not a trace of meat, fish or eggs to be found in any camp or in any public eating place. We later realized that meat is strictly taboo amongst all types of transcendentalists in India.

The camel, a hardy beast of burden, used in India for centuries to transport cargo for long distances and through difficult and sandy terrain, was the unsung hero of Kumbha Mela. Carrying heavy loads of firewood, tents, and foodstuffs on their raised backs these awkward creatures formed the very lifeline to the Kumbha Mela residents. In the soft sand, cars, trucks, and even horse carts often got stuck. But the camel was rugged and the goods always got through.

Early mornings were the most austere time of day for everyone at the Kumbha Mela because it was always colder than at any other time and the sunrise is considered the most auspicious time of the day for spiritual practices. Every day at dawn, thousands arose early to bathe in the Ganges and return to their camps to chant mantras and meditate, Kumbha Mela is a festival which has enthralled and captivated millions and no Words, film, print, and paper can not do justice to the event — it is one that has to be experienced to capture the feeling of happiness.