1.5 crore take dip as Maha Kumbh begins; devotion, tech and tradition fuse

Mahakumbh Nagar (UP), PTI: The fog was thick, the cold intense and the waters freezing as the Maha Kumbh, the world’s largest gathering, began on Monday with 1.5 crore people taking a dip in the Sangam in their quest for ‘moksha’ and the belief it will cleanse their sins. Spirituality and astrology, culture and religion, tradition and modern-day technology… it all fused into one in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati in Prayagraj. More than 40 crore people, including many from abroad, are expected over 45 days in the mela being held after 12 years. Besides, seers claim the celestial permutations and combinations for the event are taking place after 144 years, making the occasion even more auspicious for the faithful. And so it was that a sea of people converged in Prayagraj for the fabled Maha Kumbh.

Ash smeared sadhus from their abode in the Himalayas, the religious from across the country and abroad and those just curious to take in the sights and sounds of the biggest religious spectacle of all, the Maha Kumbh beckoned them all. Thirteen Akharas of seers from different sects are participating in the Maha Kumbh. And as the famed mela formally began in the darkness of pre-dawn on the occasion of Paush Purnima’ to the sound of conch shells and bhajans, the excitement was palpable in the sprawling Sangam area as devotees mostly in groups walked towards the waters chanting “Jai Ganga Maiyya”, “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Shri Ram”. Former US Army soldier-turned-ascetic Michael joined the Juna Akhara and is now known as ‘Baba Mokshapuri’. Sharing his journey of transformation, he said, “I was an ordinary man with a family and career.

But I realised that nothing in life is permanent, so I embarked on a quest for salvation. This is my first Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, and the spiritual vibes are extraordinary.” “I practise yoga in Brazil, I have come here for ‘moksha’. This one is very special, once in 144 years. India is like the spiritual height of the world. Sanatan Dharma is my mission of life and it changed my life, it changed the way I see the world, my family. Jai Shri Ram,” added a devotee from Brazil. Also in the teeming crowd was Julie from Spain.