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Ardh Kumbh Mela: Naga swamis draw huge crowds

          Allahabad: Long-haired, ash-smeared reclusive holy men came out from their hideaways in the Himalayan caves to captivate the foreign visitors and pilgrims alike at the Ardh Kumbh mela here. Thousands of foreigners and millions of Hindu devotees have flocked to the Kumbh mela, drawn in by the magnetism of the Naga mystics and a chance to cleanse their souls by taking a dip in the holy waters of Ganga. As many as 70 million people from India and abroad are expected to take a dip till the festival lasts. The festival falls midway between the "Maha Kumbh Mela", celebrated once every 12 years and is billed as one of the largest gatherings on the earth. The Naga Sadhus, followers of Lord Shiva, wear practically nothing on their bodies and largely exist on a diet of herbs, roots and plants and occupy a prominent place in the Kumbh. Digambar Baba Vishwanath Giri, one of the naked mystics popularly known as the Rudraksha Baba - as he claims to wear 11,000 beads of the Rudrakasha on his body, said the Kumbh festival provides the followers an opportunity to seek the blessings of the saints and wash away their sins. "I have come here so that our followers can get a chance to see the holy men. The holy men have come here from far away places to bless the devotees and help them cleanse their sins," Digambar Baba said as he showed his pictures to a perplexed Italian woman. Digambar Baba, who considers himself to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, said he comes out of his Himalayan cave once in years to bless his followers. Like every Kumbh mela, 13 Akharas or religious schools have been set up on the banks of Ganga where the holy men and their followers live and pray. But there are many who also provide a dash of exotica along with a touch of mysticism. Many spend their time smoking pot as they sit in a state of meditative trance. Some of them display their powers by lifting men on their organs or performing yoga as they squeeze their organ between their legs and there are others who perform prayers while hanging upside down from a tree trunk. "Naga is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Even Lord Shiva himself used to live like this," said one mystic as he explained the reason behind them not wearing any clothes. They believe that Lord Shiva also used to smear ash on his body as he renounced many of the worldly possessions.

          For the foreigners, many of them backpackers who timed their visit to coincide with the Kumbh, said seeing the festival and the Naga Sadhus was an out of the world experience. Tina, a visitor from Germany , who also got her hair dreadlocked like the Nagas said: "It is unique there is nothing in the whole world that is anything like this. It is amazing, really amazing." While foreigners soaked in the exotic flavour, the devotees were busy counting their blessings after seeing the holy men. Pradipto Sarkar, a pilgrim from Assam , who had come with his wife and mother, said it was nothing less than a divine experience. "So many holy men are here. It is such an uplifting experience. People have come here from such far flung areas, I am feeling extremely happy to be here and I feel my life has been blessed by coming here," said a visibly elated Sarkar. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges during the festivals cleanses them of sin, speeding the way to the attainment of nirvana or the afterlife. Allahabad , is one of four spots where Garuda, the winged steed of Hindu god Vishnu, is said to have rested during a titanic battle with demons over a pitcher of divine nectar of immortality. Garuda's flight lasted 12 divine days, or 12 years of mortal time, hence the celebration of "Maha Kumbh Mela" every 12 years. The midway point between two such celebrations is also considered highly favourable because the position of the sun and the moon are the same as during the "Maha Kumbh". The "Maha Kumbh Mela" in 1989 attracted 15 million pilgrims and the Guinness Book of Records dubbed it the largest gathering of human beings for a single purpose. The festival in 2001 drew between 50 and 70 million.
- Jan 14, 2007

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