PRESENTATION ON

KUMBH 2013 By

RANA GAURAV SINGH

INTRODUCTION Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather at a sacred river for a bath in the river. It is held every third year at one of the four places by rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and Ujjain. Thus the Kumbh Mela is held at each of these four places every twelfth year.  Ardh ("Half") Kumbh Mela is held at only two places, Haridwar and Allahabad (Prayag), every sixth year. The rivers at these four places are: the Ganges (Ganga) at Haridwar, the confluence (Sangam) of the Ganges and the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati at Prayag, the Godawari at Nasik, and the Shipra at Ujjain.

Kumbh means a pitcher and Mela means fair in Hindi. The pilgrimage is held for about one and a half months at each of these four places where it is believed in Hinduism that drops of nectar fell from the Kumbh carried by gods after the sea was churned. The festival is billed as the "biggest gathering on Earth". There is no scientific method of ascertaining the number of pilgrims even approximately and the estimates of the number of pilgrims bathing on the most auspicious day may vary very widely from two to eight million depending upon the team(s) of persons making the estimate and the rough method of making the estimate.

The current Kumbh Mela began on 14 January 2013 at Allahabad (Prayag)Kumbh Mela takes place every twelve years at one of four places: Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The Mela alternates between Prayag, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar every third year.The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at only two places, Haridwar and Prayag

HISTORYThe first written evidence of

the Kumbha Mela can be found in the accounts of Chinese traveler, Huan Tsang or Xuanzang (602–664 A.D.) who visited India in 629–645 CE, during the reign of King Harshavardhana . 

However, similar observances date back many centuries, where the river festivals first started getting organised. According to medieval Hindu theology, its origin is found in one of the most popular medieval puranas, the Bhagavata Purana. The Samudra manthan episode (Churning of the ocean of milk), is mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana

The account goes that the demigods had lost their strength by the curse of Durväsä Muni, and to regain it, they approached Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. They directed all the demigods to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu and after praying to Lord Vishnu, he instructed them to churn the ocean of milk Ksheera Sagara (primordial ocean of milk) to receive amrita (the nectar of immortality). This required them to make a temporary agreement with their arch enemies, the demons or Asuras, to work together with a promise of sharing the wealth equally thereafter.] However, when the Kumbha (urn) containing the amrita appeared, a fight ensued. For twelve days and twelve nights (equivalent to twelve human years) the gods and demons fought in the sky for the pot of amrita. It is believed that during the battle, Lord Vishnu (incarnated as Mohini-Mürti) flew away with the Kumbha of elixir spilling drops of amrita at four places: Allahabad (Prayag), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik

MOST SIGNIFICANT DAYS DURING THE KUMBH MELAMakar Sankranti

A Holy bath during this period carries special significance. Those who take a holy bath in the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri acquire pious credits.Paush PurnimaThe day occurs when the moon is full in the Hindu month of Paush. This is the last full moon of winter. By this time, the sadhu and hundreds of thousands of pilgrims arrive at the Kumbh Mela.Mauni Amavasya SnanFor the holy men and women, this is the main bathing day. New members to various holy monastic orders receive their first initiation on this day.Basant Panchami SnanThis is the fifth day of the luminous half of the lunar month and is the beginning of spring in North India.Rath Saptami SnanRath Saptami festival is observed on the seventh day of Shukla Paksha in the Magh Month (January – February) in the traditional Hindu calendar.Bhishma Ekadasi SnanOn this day, Bhishma Pithamaha, the oldest, wisest, most powerful and most righteous person belonging to the Kuru dynasty (approx. over 5000 years ago), narrated the greatness of Lord Krishna through Sri Vishnu Sahasranama to Yudhishtira, the oldest brother of Pandavas

MOST AUSPICIOUS DAYS (BATHING DATES) IN YEAR 2013 DURING MAHA KUMBH

14 January 2013 (Monday) – Makar Sankranti27 January 2013 (Sunday) – Paush Purnima6 February 2013 (Wednesday) – Ekadashi Snan10 February 2013 (Sunday) – Mauni Amavasya Snan (MAIN DAY)15 February 2013 (Friday) – Vasant Panchami Snan17 February 2013 (Sunday) – Rath Saptami Snan21 February 2013 (Thursday) – Bhisma Ekadashi Snan25 February 2013 (Monday) – Maghi Purnima Snan10 March 2013 (Sunday) – Mahashivratri

MAHA KUMBH PICTURES

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