Godavari Pushkara – Sinhasth KumBha mEla- 2003 (Part-1)

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|| Jai Sadguru Dutta ||

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

 

 

The most spectacular and auspicious of all the events one can witness around

this time is the KumBhamEla, a religious festival that occurs once in every 12

years, and is celebrated in four major pilgrim centres across the BhAratha

Khand. The main ritual of the KumBha mElais the holy dip in the river and water

oblations (tarpaNa) to one’s ancestors, RShis and arGhya to the Gods.

 

 

Kumbha (Kumbha = pot) mEla is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage that takes place at the

following four locations of BhArath:

 

Prayag

Haridwar

Ujjain

Nasik

 

 

 

The pilgrimage occurs four times every twelve years, once at each of the four

locations. Each twelve-year cycle includes the Maha (great) KumBha mElaat

Prayag, attended by millions of people, making it the largest pilgrimage

gathering around the world.

 

 

 

 

 

KumBha mEla is attended by millions of people on a single day. A ritual bath

(holy bath) at a predetermined time and place is the major event of this

festival. Other activities include religious discussions, devotional singing,

mass feeding of holy men/women and the poor, and religious assemblies where

doctrines are debated and standardized. KumBha mEla(especially the Maha Kumbha

Mela) is the most sacred of all the Hindu pilgrimages. Thousands of holy

men/women (monks, saints, sadhus) grace the occasion by their presence. The

suspiciousness of KumBha mEla is in part attributed to the gathering of

thousands of holy men/women at one place on earth

 

 

 

 

 

The “pUrNa Kumbha mEla” is held every 12 years. The KumBha mElais held at four

locations in rotation every three years- in Nasik, Ujjain, HaridwAr and PrayAg.

These are called Ardha Kumbha. The last Purna Kumbha was held in 1998 at

Haridwar . The next Purna Kumbha will be on 2010. The main date for the general

public to bathe will be April 14, 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

Chatur Kumbha (The Four Kumbhas)

 

 

 

1. HaridwAr (UttarAnchal/Uttar Pradesh)

 

 

 

If one wishes to witness the glory of the Ganga, then he should visit HaridwAr.

It is believed that Lord VishNu’s feet (HaripAda) is located here. HaridwAr (or

HaradwAr) is the “Gateway” to the Himalayan Pilgrimage. Annual KumBha mElais

held here. This is also called GangAdwAr. On the map it is 29 degrees 58 minutes

North and 78 degrees 8 minutes East.

 

 

 

2. Prayag (Uttar Pradesh)

 

 

 

Near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. It is the confluence of the three holiest

rivers Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswat – hence rightly called TrivENi Sangam. Here,

the Saraswathi is “Gupta gAmini”. On the map Prayag is 25 degrees 25 minutes

North and 81 degrees 53 minutes East. If one imagines the map of Bharath as

Human body, then the Triveni sangam corresponds to the “Ajna chakra” – the third

eye, where the three facets of spirituality namely “Bhakthi” (one minded

devotion), “JnAna” (knowledge) and “Vairagya” (austerity) converge.

 

 

 

3. Nasik (Maharastra).

 

 

 

It is about 200 km North East of Bombay at 20 degrees North and 71 degrees East

on the map. Nasik is one of the most important cities of Northern Maharashtra,

situated on the banks of river Godavari. Tryambakeshwar located near at a

distance of about 30 km from Nasik in Maharashtra is revered as one of the 12

Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. Tryambakeshwar is the source of the river

Godavari. The Shivalingam is seen in a depression on the floor of the sanctum;

water constantly oozes out from the top of the Shivalingam. This is an ancient

shrine, however the current structure is a result of the reconstruction efforts

undertaken by the Peshwa Balaji Bajirao in mid 18th century. Over 2000 Temples

and Ghats on the banks of Godavari have made Nasik one of the holiest places

for Hindus all over the World. The “Narayana Mandir” where there is a beautiful

idol of Lord Vishnu made out of “Salagram shila” is one of the main attractions.

It is in Nasik that Lord Shri Ram lived in the hermitage –

“Panchavati” during his period of exile.

 

 

 

Tryambakeshwar has been referred to in the Padma Purana. The legend relating to

the Lingodbhava manifestation of Shiva also prevails here. Legend has it that

Bhrama and Vishnu searched in vain to discover the origin of Shiva who

manifested himself as a cosmic column of fire. Bhrama lied that he had seen the

top of the column of fire, and was hence cursed that he would not be worshipped

on earth. In turn Bhrama cursed Shiva that he would be pushed underground.

Accordingly, Shiva came down under the Bhramagiri hill in the form of

Tryambakeshwar. Circumambulating the Bhramagiri hill is considered sacred.

 

 

 

4. Ujjaini (Madhya Pradesh).

 

 

 

Ujjaini was the most popular capital of ancient Bharath. During the rule of

Ashoka’s father Bindusara, it was called “Avanti”. It is 80 km from Indore and

is situated on the banks of the river “kShiprA”. Lord “MahAkALEShwar” is the

presiding deity and hence Ujjain is one of the 7 “Salvation Giving” (mOkShadAyI

– AyODhyA, maThura, mAyA (haridwAr), kAShi, kAnchi, Avanthika, & gayA) This is

also the centre of Hindu timekeeping or the equivalent of Greenwich near London.

On the map its location is 23 degrees 11 minutes North and 73 degrees 45 minutes

East. According to Hindu Astronomical treatise the prime meridian or the zero

longitude traverses through Ujjain. Hence all time such as the beginning of a

Hindu Year, Sankranti (such as Makar Samkranti) and the beginning of a Yuga are

decided by the sunrise at Ujjain.

 

 

 

Ujjain was also an ancient seat of learning in India where scinece and the arts

of the Vedas were taught in Gurukuls (house of Guru). Lord Krishna of Gokul (the

house of cows), when he was a child, attended such a Gurukul along with his

brother Balaram in ancient Ujjaini. This is the place where the great poet

Kalidasa lived and created the ever lasting literature.

 

 

 

A Purna Kumbha (complete) is held every twelve years. The site for a Purna

Kumbha rotates between the above four Kumbhas and is decided by Sadhus

(ascetics).

 

 

 

 

 

Where and when?

 

 

KumBha mEla is a mammoth fair where saints and devotees gather. KumBha mEla is

celebrated at the aforesaid four places depending on the positions of planets

and stars:

 

 

 

When Jupiter (Guru) and Sun are in zodiac signLeo(Simha Rashi) it is

celebrated in Trimbakeshwar, Nasik.

 

 

 

When Sun is in zodiac sign Aries (Mesha Rashi) it is celebrated at Haradwar

 

 

 

When Jupiter is in zodiac sign Taurus (Vrishabha Rashi ) and Sun is in zodiac

sign Capricorn (Makar Rashi) KumBha mElais celebrated at Prayag

 

 

 

When Guru and Sun are in zodiac sign scorpio (Vrishchik Rashi) the Mela is

celebrated at Ujjain.

 

 

 

 

 

Sinhasth KumBha mEla(2003) at TryambakEShwar, Nasik, Maharashtra

 

 

 

On AShAD bahuL daShami, buDhwAr of Shri swaBhAnu samvatsar (i.e., 23-7-2003),

bRhaspathi (Guru – planet Jupiter) enters Simha rAsi ( Leo ) and hence from that

day through the next 12 days are considered as GOdAvari PuShkara. During these

days, it is said that all the 3,50,00,000 (3 crore 50 lakh) “tIrthA”s

(divine/celestial waters) merge into the GOdAvari river. It is the most

auspicious time for “puNya snAn” (holy dip), “dAn” (alms), “tarpaN” (water

oblations to the ancestors and RShis) and “arGhya” (water oblations to the Gods)

and brings infinite “puNya”.

 

 

 

“ sinhAdri pArshEpi taTE ramantham

 

gOdAvarI tIra pavithra dEshE |

 

yaddarShanAtpAtaka jAthanAShah

 

prajAyathE tRyambakamIShamiDe || “

 

 

 

Recognizing the importance of the Sinhastha KumBha mEla Shri Adi Shankaracharya

appealed to the disciples of his Vaidik Dharma (Hindu dharma) to assemble at the

time of Sinhastha Kumbha Mela. Following his appeal, till now devotees,

pilgrims, and people of various sects and religions gather together for Kumbha

Mela.

 

 

 

 

 

There are some differences in the dates suggested by different astrologers; but

we shall stick to the official dates, which are as follows:

 

 

 

Trimbakeshwar Kumbhmela will be held from July 27th, 2003 thru Aug.27th 2004.

 

 

 

Kumbhmela Dates

 

 

KumBhamEla DhwajAROhan – Start of the Kumbh Mela – July 27th , 2003

 

KumBhemEla SamApti - End of the Kumbh Mela - Aug 27th, 2004

 

 

 

Main Events known as Shahi snan. The dates for Trimbakeshwar Shahi Snan are as

follows :

 

 

Pratham (first) snAn – ShrAvan Shuddha pUrNimA (Full moon) – Tuesday, Aug

12th, 2003

dwitIya (second) snAn – mahA parva – BhAdrapad kRshna amAvAsya – Wed, Aug

27th, 2003

tritIya (third) snAn – BhAdrapad Shukl, vAman dwAdashi – Sunday, Sep 7th,

2003

 

 

 

The dates for Nasik Shahi Snan are as follows :

 

 

 

Pratham (first) snAn – ShrAvan Shuddha EkAdaShi – Friday, Aug 8th, 2003

dwitIya (second) snAn – mahA parva – BhAdrapad kRshna amAvAsya – Wed, Aug

27th, 2003

tRtIya (third) snAn – BhAdrapad Shuddha panchami, RShipanchami – Mon, Sep

1st, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT: Origin and importance of the kumBha mEla

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

R.Srinath

 

srinath_atreya

 

 

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