From Madhya Pradesh, Govind Singh, an Indian farmer, made almost two days’ travel by train to enter the “land of the gods” and successfully joined many pilgrims at the greatest gathering of humanity.
A habitual religious performance and a bath found its way on Monday for the Kumbh Mela, an age-old site in which the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and the imaginary Saraswati merge.
This year’s event is said to be the largest yet of Prayagraj, in Uttar Pradesh, and very likely to be the largest ever organized up to this point.
Organizers say that nearly 400 million pilgrims would span over six weeks from January 13 to February 26.
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Even now, the pilgrims are bathing in the cold water, turning the riverbanks into tent camps.
“I feel blessed to be in the land of the gods for the Kumbh Mela,” said Singh, 53 years old. Madhya Pradesh, a little over 600 kilometers away, is where he traveled from.
Even before noon, the water was close to 20 degrees Celsius at midday. Gaur is a middle-ranking bureaucrat working in Lucknow, who has taken time off from duty for the festival.
In addition to the bathing place, many boats offer trips down to the Sangam, the holy final destination of three rivers. Hindus believe that bathing at this location during Kumbh will wash away their sins and grant moksha.
It has something to do with mythology which talks about the fight between the different Gods and the demons for this pot which was supposed to contain the nectar of immortality.
Hundreds of boatmen have come into the holy city. From the state, Ramheet Nishad, with others, made the pilgrimage to serve these pilgrims. These sprawling tents flank this big river and are divided into sectors with restaurants, shops, and makeshift toilets.
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Richer pilgrims camp in luxurious tents, while others take shelter under tarpaulin sheets. Saffron-robed monks and ash-smeared ascetics roam about the area, blessing people.
On the most auspicious bathing dates, they lead the dawn charge into the river waters. The colossal gathering also provides the Uttar Pradesh local Hindu-nationalist government the opportunity to place on display its achievements, stated on billboards with QR codes hooked to special sites.
Indian police are providing the best sort of impregnable security with day and night patrolling.
For many visitors, the fair exceeds politics and religion to become a once-in-a-lifetime experience. ” I have got the feel, people, the river, it’s another world,” said Rohit Singh, 26 in this context.