Spell of Aquarius

The Kumbh Mela being held in Prayagraj this year has seen lakhs and lakhs of visitors, drawn here by faith to rid them of sin and point the way to salvation.

arun

Arun Kumar | February 18, 2019 | Delhi


#Kumbh Mela 2019   #Hindu civilisation   #Prayagraj Ardh Kumbh Mela   #Hinduism   #Yogi Adityanath   #Prayagraj   #Kumbh Mela   #Kumbh  
Image courtesy: Arun Kumar
Image courtesy: Arun Kumar

The Kumbh Mela being held in Prayagraj this year has seen lakhs and lakhs of visitors, drawn here by faith. They believe a holy dip in the Sangam, during this auspicious period, can rid them of sin and point the way to salvation. 







Sadhus, Naga babas of various akhadas, common folk – the Kumbh mela is a confluence of the wonderful variety of paths that Hinduism offers to its followers



Bhang, ganja, charas are all derivatives of cannabis, which is considered prasad of Lord Shiva. Sadhus smoke it freely. No one minds.


The akhadas of the Naga sadhus are a special attraction at  every Kumbh. When they frolic in the water, it’s a boisterous sight.



When lakhs gather daily in one spot, people are bound to get lost. Especially children and the aged. (Inset) At a booth for the lost, announcements are made.

(This photo story appears in the February 28, 2019 edition)

Comments

 

Other News

How social media is reshaping elections

Since Brazil’s return to direct presidential elections in 1985, no candidate who finished second in the first round of polling had ever won the presidency. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, now 81, has just done it. What explains the comeback, and what changed in Brazilian politics to make it possi

Cabinet approves Dearness Allowance, Dearness Relief

The union cabinet chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the release of an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to central government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners with effect from 01.07.2026 representing an increase of 3% over the existing rates of 6

Cyclone Arnab strikes Andhra as warming oceans amplify storm risks

Cyclone Arnab made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts in the early hours of Wednesday as a very severe cyclonic storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125–135 kmph and gusts reaching 150 kmph. Its rapid intensification has raised concerns about how warmer oceans, global warmin

Counting matters but which ones?

The first instinct of public policy is to count. Its harder task is to count what counts. We have become remarkably good at measuring the reach of the welfare state vis-à-vis beneficiaries covered, rupees transferred, houses built, connections installed and services delivered. But some of the most

Inching closer to a trade deal with America

The cooperation between India and the United States goes back quite a time. We need to relegate that era to the backburner when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visited US in the times of president Dwight Eisenhower and called the American let-off of 10 million dollars in defence aid to Pakistan as a “gun w

Manch vs Musk: Forty people and a foreign billionaire

About forty people walked the roundabout on Teen Murti Marg to the gate of Chanakyapuri police station, a distance you could cover in under a minute, on Friday to protest against Elon Musk’s Starlink. The walk was called by the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch. Nobody joined them on the way, and nobody seeme

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter