Kumbh Mela
Facts -It is a major festival for the Hindus. It takes place at four places, shifting the venues between Ujjain, Allahabad, Nashik and Haridwar. It is also known as Maha Kumbh Mela. Want to know -The Kumbh Mela takes place four times in the time span of twelve years.
Must do -Take holy dip at the Ganges River. Take part in the devotional songs and listen to the religious discourses that are discussed in the mela.
Bathing Dates of kumbh mela 2010 of Haridwar
14 January 2010 (Thursday) |
15 January 2010 (Friday) |
20 January 2010 (Wednesday) |
30 January 2010 (Saturday) |
12 February 2010 (Friday) |
15 March 2010 (Monday) |
24 March 2010 (Wednesday) |
30 March 2010 (Tuesday) |
14 April 2010 (Wednesday) |
28 April 2010 (Wednesday) |
Unity in diversity and rich culture, tradition and ancient customs has been the hallmark of Indian history and mythology. Kumbh Mela(festival) dates back to ancient civilizations and is held every 3 years in the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. In 2010, the 42-day long Kumbh Mela will be hosted at Haridwar.
During these 42 days, the water in the holy Ganges is believed to turn to ambrosia (amrit). So, millions of believers from all parts of the world flock to the Mela to purge themselves of sins, balance their karma and release themselves from the cycle of rebirth. The next Kumbh Mela in 2010 in Haridwar is the gateway to moksha (Liberation/Salvation of the soul).
The Myth
When the earth was just created, the Gods were cursed to lose their strengths due to their pride and discourtesy to a sage. The Gods approached Lord Vishnu to help them regain their strength. He asked them to churn the ocean of milk to get Amrit – the nectar of immortality, strength and prosperity.
The Gods needed the help of their cousins and enemies, the Demons, for the job. But once Gods procured the Amrit, they did not want to share it with the Demons and were chased by the Demons. During the chase, four drops of the nectar fell on the earth at four different places, Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. Therefore, these places are revered as extremely sacred and holy places.
Naga BabasNaga babas or sadhus (holy men) attend Kumbh Melas in great numbers. They can be recognized by their characteristic long hair tied up in knots and bodies smeared with ashes. They are usually naked.
The Naga babas are thought to have great healing powers. They can live on herbs and little else and can tolerate extreme temperatures. They continue their meditation practices without the protection of a roof or a blanket even at subzero temperatures.
They believe in non-attachment to worldly things and own only a staff and a string of thousands of Rudraksh beads. Rudraksh means the ‘eye of Rudra (Shiva)’. It is the seed of the Rudraksh tree (Species - Elaeocarpus). One form of Moksha is to take the form of ‘God’ after the liberation of the soul. The Naga Babas believe that wearing 11000 Rudraksh beads will liberate them and elevate them to the form of Lord Shiva.How would you reach the Kumbh Mela 2010 in Haridwar?
Haridwar is located at a distance of 214 km from Delhi.
By Air:-
The nearest airport to Haridwar is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun (20 km).
By Rail:-
The different trains that are connected to Haridwar are Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Howrah, Puri, Chennai, Ujjain and Varanasi.
By Road:-
The National Highway (NH) 45 goes through Haridwar. The other major roads that are connected to Haridwar are;
- Delhi-216
- Agra-386
- Ambala-168
- Badrinath-325
- Dehradun-52
- Kedarnath-250
- Saharanpur-81
- Nainital-286
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