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Kumbh Mela: A spiritual journey from across India
Notwithstanding some tragic incidents, lakhs of devout especially from Southern states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka visited the 45-day Kumbh Mela by cars, trains, buses and flights and ensured they had a holy dip in the famed Triveni Sangam, a confluence of three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.
Follow on Twitter| Published: 28th February 2025 10:43 pm IST
Hyderabad: One of the world’s biggest religious
spectacles “Maha Kumbh Mela” in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh closed on Maha
Shivaratri on Wednesday.
The star-studded religious gathering attracted crores of
devotees from across India, the globe and proved to be one of the largest
religious gatherings of the century.
The next Kumbh Mela will be at Nashik in Maharashtra in 2027
and Purna Kumbh at Haridwar in Uttarakhand in 2033.
Notwithstanding some tragic incidents, lakhs of devout
especially from Southern states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
visited the 45-day Kumbh Mela by cars, trains, buses and flights and ensured
they had a holy dip in the famed Triveni Sangam, a confluence of three rivers
Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.
In fact, according to those who took a dip in the holy
rivers, Telugu came in large numbers by various modes of transport, especially
by road to Prayagraj. There were a good number of IT employees, who drove on
weekends.
Telugus take a dip
“We travelled nearly 1100 km from Hyderabad, halted 4 km
from the venue, Prayagraj, and took bike rides. It was a painstaking journey.
It took two to three hours to travel a distance of one km. Bikes were the best
mode of transport while boat rides cost us Rs 600 to Rs 800 per head. Prices
vary depending on rush. But it was worth the trouble. It was a feat to be
remembered for ages,” says Chandrasekhar Patel, IT professional from Hyderabad.
Adds Harish Setty, another IT professional: “There was no
way to go by car to the river, hence opted for bikes, which was the best mode
of transport. Bikes charged Rs 100 to Rs 200, autos Rs 200 per head. It gave
locals with bikes a good business option. The rush was unprecedented. You see
people, men, women, children, old people walking with their baggage or
hitchhiking on bikes to Triveni Sangam.”
While the majority of men, women, and children had a holy
dip, some who could not make it sent their photos to get a holy dip!
Maha Kumbh Mela
The Maha Kumbh Mela, a sacred pilgrimage that is celebrated
four times over 12 years, stands as a unique embodiment of such power.
Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest gathering, draws lakhs of
pilgrims who bathe in sacred rivers seeking to purify themselves from sins and
attain spiritual liberation. This episode of Mela at Prayagraj in UP began on
January 13 and came close on February 26.
Kalpavas
Kalpavas, a period of fasting and spiritual discipline,
holds deep significance during Maha Kumbh. This year, over 10 lakh devotees
observed Kalpavas at the Triveni Sangam, concluding on Magh Purnima, with a
final holy dip, pujan, and daan. As per tradition, Kalpvasis perform
Satyanarayana Katha, Havan Puja, and offer donations to their Tirthpurohits.
The barley sown at the start of Kalpavas is immersed in the Ganga, and the
Tulsi plant is taken home as a divine blessing. The twelve-year Kalpavas cycle culminates
in Maha Kumbh, followed by a community feast in their villages.
Huge revenues, employment
Government spent Rs 7,500 crore—UP State Rs 5,400 crore and
Centre Rs 2100 crore. It is estimated the Mela may generate Rs 2 to 4 lakh
crore in revenues, benefitting all sections of traders.
Spiritual journey to four places
Kumbh devotees not only engage in a series of spiritual
rituals but also embark on an odyssey that transcends physical, cultural and
even spiritual boundaries.
The sacred Kumbh Melas rotates between four holy places of
Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), Nashik (Maharashtra) and
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh). The towns are located at the holy rivers from the
Ganga (Ganges) to the Shipra, the Godavari and the confluence of the Ganga,
Yamuna and the Saraswati in Prayagraj.
Jam-packed airport
For a change, Prayagraj airport, which used to handle modest
air traffic and passenger footfall, had to cope up with un-reconnected VVIP
aircraft and movements. The airport is currently operating an average of about
40 non-scheduled charters and private jets daily for the rich and famous, with
figures touching 70 such flights on weekends. It is over and above the average
148 scheduled commercial passenger aircraft.
The latest such record was posted on February 21 when 24,512
passengers arrived at and departed from the airport by 236 flights on a single
day, the official said. During normal times, the airport operates some 20
scheduled flights in and out, carrying less than a thousand passengers, he
said.
L to R: Suhasini, Chandrasekhar Patel, Tinku and Prasanna
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