Kumbha Mela 2013 at Allahabad ( Prayag Triveni Sangam )
In a rare alignment of planets Jupitor, Sun , Moon and Saturn, Rahu , Tula after 147 years- a Royal Bathing Procession, a mile long- with more then 500 Akharas participating, lead by Naga Babas- naked sages- marched with horses, elephants, with bands singing devotional melodies as early as 4 AM at the confluence of three holy rivers Ganges, Yamuna and invisible Saraswati- called Triveni Sangam. The occasion was Makar Sankranti- when Sun moves from Southern hemisphere to Northern hemisphere and crosses Capricorn. Bhishma Dev left his body on this auspicious day.
The bathing period lasted for about 12 hours, starting at 5:52 AM. An estimated 80 to 100 million pilgrims took bath along Ganges and Yamuna rivers in the temporary city filled with tents and canopies. The largest gathering issues no written invitation, yet all spiritual seekers come here to meet one another and enjoy the nectar which falls on this day! It also marks cleansing of sins besides granting liberation.
Srila Prabhupada (Abhay Charan Dey) was initiated by his spiritual master Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur in1933 at Prayag.Here in Prayag, he spent 13 years preparing for preaching mission of ChaitanyaMahaprabhu, who had held sessions for 10 days to Srila Rupa Goswami at Dashashwamedh Ghat. Shrimati Radha Rani appears as three rivers ( Tri-Veni) to enjoy past-times with Madhava ( Krishna). Not far from Dashashwamedh Ghat is Veni Madhava Temple where Lord Chaitanya danced every evening during Sankirtan along with Lord Nityanand and other devotee associates. One can see the foot-prints of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Sri Rupa Shikshasthali ( Rupa Academy) and various markings and sign-posts. ( CC Madhya 2.29). Similar foot prints were installed at Veni Madhava Mandir, however, these have been misplaced during renovation.
ISKCON Camp at Maha Kumbh Mela is located on Tulasi Marg, sector 5, Mori Gate and accommodates more than 1000 devotees from all parts of the world. Diorama depicting Vishnu with Sudarshan Chakra and the elephant Gajendra, Ram Katha with monkies in live action are in making and will be a great attraction. The Rath- chariot pulled by bulls and seating Gaur Nitai houses a murti of Srila Prabhupada and serves as a point of preaching. Book distribution, prasadam honoring is very systematic and well synchronized and benefitting thousands. Constant chanting of Hari Naam and Maha Mantra, Hari Bol vibrates sweetly the atmosphere and attracts every passerby. His Grace Sarvabhauma das conducts both morning Srimad Bhagavatam and evening classes on Bhagvad-gita. In Kaliyuga, it is so easy to practice devotion through chanting as compared to performing Yajnas in other Yugas or worshipping at Temple.
The 2013 Maha Kumbh Mela, the world's largest religious gatherings, began in Allahabad on Monday on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti with tens of millions devotes taking the ritual bath in holy river Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati Sangam. [By Prayag Narayan Mishra]
At least 10 crore devotees from around the world are expected to take part in the 55-day festival held at Sangam in Uttar Pradesh. Sangam is the meeting place of three holy rivers - Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Sarasvati.
The Maha Kumbh Mela takes place every 12 years at four places - Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. The mela alternates between these four places every three years.
The next festival will take place in 2016 at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on the banks of the river Shipra, where it is also known as "Simhastha".
With mattered hair and ash smeared all over their bodies, thousands of Naga sadhus and Hindu-Shaivite ascetics marched naked to the sangam.
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