THE REAL VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY CONSISTS NOT IN SEEKING NEW LANDSCAPES, BUT IN HAVING NEW EYES…
No matter where you go..we can always come back adding wealth to our experience and knowledge. Congregations like KUMBH are confluence of innumerous life stories. MAHAKUMBH of 2001 was one such special occasion which was happening after an interval of 144 years due to the existence of certain special planetary conditions. Probably no person living would be able to witness it again in his lifetime.🚩🚩
I had never been witness to any KUMBH celebration, just heard and read about it. This was my FIRST 🥇… beginning with MAHAKUMBH itself. We were supposed to take the HOLY SNAN of MAUNI AMAVASYA..so we reached a day prior to the ascertained date. We reached ALLAHABAD(now PRAYAGRAJ) by late afternoon, which did not seem to be the same place where I lived and studied for few years. The holy city was now an ocean of crawling humans. Every street abuzz with herds of people moving to and fro MELA-GROUND.🎊🎉💥💥
Every face was lit up..every individual charged up with strange motivation. The whole place was brimming with intense positive energy.⭐💛💛 I had heard stories of people getting lost in KUMBH..our movies were frequently dramas woven around separated brothers who were lost in KUMBHS…and it seemed quite a possibility here. We reached the MELA-GROUND. Various AKHADAS, ASHRAMS and INDIVIDUALS were feeding people in the BHANDARAS organized by them. The whole vast riverbed of MA GANGA was filled with aroma of freshly prepared food. I bet everyone of us have had BHANDARE WALI POODI SABJI RAITA AND BOONDI…divine and heavenly taste.. We also fed our hungry selves with scrumptious food. ⚡⚡✨✨
Having been satiated we went strolling observing and admiring the MELA. I was mesmerized by the charged up and enigmatic environment. Just wondered..what could be the fuel of this VIBRANCE. It was evening now..and the whole city was glittering and dazzling with lights all over. I had reached a fairyland. The COOL BREEZE…WHITE SANDY BANKS OF MA GANGA.. COLOURFUL TENTS.. FLAMBOYANT ATTIRES…BLUE WATER OF MA GANGA…GREEN WATER OF YAMUNA…FOG AND MIST..PEEPE KA PUL..it was indeed a surreal feel. Continuous movement of people..hustle bustle. Melodious bhajans..keertans..bells…dholakas were adding OOMPH FACTOR ✨✨✨✨
Everyone was awake as it was almost nearing dawn..MAUNI AMAVASYA the day to take the HOLY SNAN. People were warm even in the cold breezy night with the heat of their FAITH and also innumerous ALAAVS arranged by the Government.
It was dawn..SHAHI SNAN began with various AKHADAS beginning the event..followed by NAGAS…then the SNAN opened for public by and large. It was impossible to reach the River..taking a dip almost impossible. We somehow managed to cut across our way..all holding hands ensuring no one gets lost. We soon excelled in finding way amongst all odds and finally reached the icy cold waters. 💦💦💦
We went a little further so as to be immersed in waist deep waters. It was freezing 🥶🥶🥶 cold. We mustered all the courage learnt till the time and took the first dip…and woah 😨😨 felt as if life left the body..😨😨
Three dips is what makes a SNAN complete..so hesitatingly took the other two.
Triumphantly and elated managed to come out unharmed. Then my brother felt something AMISS…. while taking the final dip he had slipped off his SPECKS..YES, he took the SNAN with his SPECKS.🤓🤓
We had to return back all the way walking upto the outskirts of the MELA-GROUND..which was probably some Kilometres away… Walking cutting through the human crowd without the specks seemed a bad idea. My brother didn’t want to be the LOST CHILD FROM KUMBH..so he decided to plunge back in the water and find his SPECKS..🧐🧐
BRAVEHEART he was.. repeating the previous procedure all over again he managed to reach the river..again mananged to get back exactly at the same place where we took our dips…and he took the first dip again…to no avail..took the second dip..another failed attempt..then the final dip and VOILA managed to get hold of his SPECKS lying on the RIVERBED.🤣🤣💛💛
Imagine the series of coincidences..no one stepped on his SPECKS..and he brimming with joy put back his 👀👀 EYES..😂😅
We changed our clothes in a nearby tent and returned back to our rest-house in RAJAPUR.
Lying down I was flooded with emotions now. Was CUDDING into what had comsumed the whole day. What a place…what a journey…what a set of lessons to take away…💥💥✨✨✨
Life can be as strange as PLUCKING 🥭🥭🥭 FROM 🍎🍎🍎 TREE..
We are mere speck of dust when look at the creation in totality..✨✨✨
Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE 😛😛
If my brother could get back his lost SPECKS all intact, from a flowing River brimming with stampeding people..
THEN ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE..
JUST GO FOR IT..🤣😂😂🤗