You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean, in a drop ~ Rumi
The auspicious Kumbh Mela is here! The sacred land of Trimbakeshwar, Nashik is being visited by several devotees and holy people from all over the country to take a dip in the Godavari River. The flag hoisting ceremony at Trimbakeshwar on 14th July 2015 marked the beginning of this glorious Mela.
If you are a Bollywood buff, you might have surely heard of the dialogue “Kumbh Ke Mele Main Bichade Hue Do Bhai” it's so true given the number of people visiting this fair.
Legend has it that during the Samudra Manthan, the Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons) jointly churned the ocean to obtain Amrit - the nectar of immortality. When the Kumbh (a pitcher) of nectar emerged, the two began to fight to gain possession over it. During this combat, drops of nectar fell over four places - Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nasik. Since then, it is believed that bathing in the holy waters of these places, (Kumbh Snan) during this pious festival cleanses your soul and leads to moksha.
We bring you some of the interesting facts on the Kumbh Mela which will help you picturise and soak in this spiritual extravaganza. Maybe even inspire you to book an air ticket and set off to witness this mystical wonder first hand.
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The Ganges(Ganga) at Haridwar, the Godavari at Nashik, the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, and the Shipra at Ujjain are the sacred rivers that are worshipped during the Kumbh Mela.
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According to the position of the planet of Jupiter and the sun, the location is selected for this grand Mela. Currently, Jupiter and the sun are in the zodiac sign Leo, hence the Mela is held at Trimbakeshwar, Nashik which will be celebrated till September.
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Post his experience of the Kumbh Mela of 1895 Mark Twain quoted: “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”.
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Ritual bathing at the banks of the sacred rivers, mass feeding of the holy and the poor people, and devotional singing are the activities you will witness during this grand Mela.
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You will see several sadhus clad in saffron sheets with Vibhuti ashes dabbed on their skin; having separated themselves from the material world.
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