Millions begin bathing in sacred rivers during Hindu festivals in India

Millions of people arrived in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj on Monday to take part in the Kumbh Mela (also known as Mahakumbh), a Hindu festival said to be the largest gathering of mankind.

The event, which is held once every 12 years, begins on Monday and will continue for six weeks as devotees take a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of India’s holiest rivers, the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati. It will be.

Because the ultimate goal of Hinduism is salvation, Hindus believe that bathing in a sacred river cleanses one’s sins, purifies the soul, and frees one from the cycle of birth and death.

Approximately 400 million pilgrims are expected to take part in the 45-day spectacle, which is so large that it can be seen from space.

Between 5 million and 8 million people are expected to bathe on Monday, with the number expected to rise to more than 20 million the next day.

The sights on Tuesday will be special as naked Hindu saints known as Naga Sadhus, with matted dreadlocks covered in ash, will be seen bathing at dawn in a northern Indian city. Dew.

But authorities are racing against time to get the city ready for the millions of people who continue to pour in during the festival.

A vast tent city covering over 4,000 hectares was established on the banks of the river to accommodate pilgrims and tourists.

But on Sunday, hours before the hearing began, many parts of Prayagraj’s vast grounds appeared to still be under construction.

Some of the camps set up by the saint and other worshipers had no water and intermittent electricity supply.

Thousands of toilet cubicles were yet to be installed, and many of the toilets that were already installed were unusable due to a lack of water connections.

Government official Vivek Chaturvedi told the BBC that organizers were hampered by the fact that monsoon waters took longer to recede this year, reducing the scope for construction activity.

However, he insisted that “preparations are almost complete and all arrangements are in place to welcome visitors.”

“We have laid 650 kilometers (403 miles) of temporary roads and installed tens of thousands of tents and toilets. More than 100,000 people, including more than 40,000 police and security officials, have worked to make this project a success. We are working round the clock to ensure this happens,” Chaturvedi said.

The festival, which ends on February 26, is recognized by the United Nations agency UNESCO as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Its origins are rooted in a mythological story about a battle between gods and demons over a Kumbh (jug) of honey that appeared during the churning of the ocean.

As the two countries fought over the vase of elixir that promised immortality, a few drops spilled and landed in four cities: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik.

Because the battle lasted for 12 celestial years (each corresponding to 12 earthly years), Kumbh Mela festivals are held in four cities every 12 years. Ardo or Half Kumbh is held in between the two festivals.

Melas are held in all four cities, but the biggest festival is always held in Prayagraj, where previous attendance records are broken.

Hindu prophet Mahant Ravindra Puri described the festival as “special” and a “maha (great) Kumbh”.

“That’s because the current configuration of planets and stars is the same as what existed at the moment of the outflow,” he told the BBC.

“After 12 Kumbh festivals, or 144 years, we are now seeing such perfection,” he said.

A big attraction for festival-goers is the presence of naked naga sadhus, or ascetics, who throw themselves into the icy water, a spectacle to behold.

But for pious people it has a special meaning. They believe that water is imbued with the purity of thoughts and deeds of saints.

Over the weekend, groups of holy men arrived at the Mela premises in large and noisy processions.

A group of ash-covered men, some naked, some wearing only loincloths, some with marigold wreaths around their necks, carrying tridents, swords, and small double heads. They marched with drums.

Another group formed a large procession with music bands, dancers, horses, and camels, with a leader in a chariot escorting them to the campsite.

The days and auspicious times for bathing are determined by astrologers based on the placement of certain planets and zodiac signs.

Here are six days that are especially auspicious for bathing.

January 13th: Paush Purnima January 14th: Makar Sankranti January 29th: Mauni Amavasya February 3rd: Basant Panchami February 12th: Murg Purnima February 26th: Maha Shivaratri

Three of these days, January 14 and 29 and February 3, are designated as Shahi Snan (or Royal Bath) days, when Naga Sadhus bathe.

The largest gathering is scheduled for January 29, with 50 million to 60 million worshipers expected to flock to the beach.

Away from the riverfront, the city of Prayagraj is decked out for this mega event.

Around 200 roads will be widened and facades leading to the Sangam will be repainted, while walls will be decorated with colorful paintings and murals depicting stories from Hindu mythological texts, officials said. .

Tens of thousands of pilgrims, including those from abroad, have already arrived in the city.

Sebastian Diago, who visited as part of a group of 90 members from Argentina, said he traveled to “experience dedication firsthand.”

“I came because I felt the gravitational pull of the Ganges,” he said.

“I think I need to connect with the Ganges, so I take a bath in the river.”

Area: 4,000 hectares, 160,000 tents, 40,000 police and security personnel, 15,000 sanitary personnel, 99 parking lots that can accommodate over 500,000 vehicles, 30 pontoon bridges floating on the river, street lights. 67,000 locations and 150,000 toilets. 25,000 trash cans, 200 water ATMs and 85 tube wells.

The Indian government has announced it is spending 70 billion rupees ($812 million, £665 million) to host the festival, while state governments are spending 250 billion rupees ($2.9 billion, £665 million), according to local media reports. It is expected to generate revenue of 2.3 billion pounds.

Saints and leaders of large campgrounds said they understood the complexities of organizing such a large festival, but some pilgrims complained about the lack of equipment. .

Baba Amarnathji, a 60-year-old monk wearing a saffron robe, showed the BBC a small tent he had set up by himself, draping cloth and plastic sheeting around three bamboo poles.

He said on previous occasions he had been able to sleep for free in tents set up by the government, but there were no such facilities this time.

“The police are trying to get me out of here. But where will I go? Everyone says this festival is for sadhus like me, but all the preparations are for tourists. It looks like it’s being done.”