Kumbh Mela
All of India's saints, sages, mendicants and fakirs come to the Kumbh city (this
year, Nasik and the nearby Trimbakeshwar ), as do lakhs of pilgrims. To watch
the Kumbh Mela processions is to witness the march of the ages. As the holy
men pass by on their many myriad conveyances - elephants, horses, palanquins,
chariots, cars, and camels - they transmit waves of powerful shakti (energy)
to the watchers. The palpable spiritual vibrations that pervade the entire atmosphere
are overwhelming.
The ambience is an unforgettable blend of religion and culture. The sights include
ash-smeared sadhus and infirm pilgrims sustained only by faith. Sounds resound,
like the chanting of hymns, neighing of horses, trumpeting of elephants, grunting
of camels, bellowing of bulls, beating of gongs and drums, blaring of trumpets,
blowing of conch shells and chiming of bells. Heady smells of incense and flowers
fill the air.
The main rite performed at the Kumbh Mela is the ritual bath. It is believed
that bathing in the Godavari, also known as the Deccan Ganga, on the auspicious
days, during Kumbh, cures the bather of all sins and evils, and grants salvation.
