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Basant Panchami: Akhara takes Shahi Snan

          Allahabad: Mahanirvani 'Akhara' saints were the first to take the third and the final 'Shahi Snan' at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, on the occasion of Basant Panchami at the Ardh Kumbh early on Tuesday. The day marks the beginning of spring, and people usually pray for a bumper harvest. The festival is also celebrated in honour of the Goddess Saraswati, the deity of wisdom and knowledge. Braving the cold, a procession of ascetics participated in a parade to the ghats. Naga Sadhus blew bugles, danced and showed their skills with traditional weapons. Following this, representatives of the other thirteen 'Akharas' reached the river bank to take the 'Shahi Snan', which is considered a matter of pride and seen as an opportunity to cleanse one soul. "Those who are able to bathe in the Sangam today, they are blessed with knowledge," said Shambhu, a priest. Thousands of pilgrims fought for space on the crowded river banks and many filling metal pots with sacred water to take home for ill devotees. Over 50 lakh people are also expected to take the last 'Shahi Snan' on the occasion. In Amritsar, devotees bathed at the sacred pond in the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, on the occasion. In Kolkata, people, particularly women and children visited temples in the morning and made offerings to Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of learning. "It increases or enhances the spirit of education in our mind. It raises a huge amount of enthusiasm and devotion to our culture and religion," said Swapna Basu, a devotee. Children kept books and writing instruments before the deity and sought the blessings of the goddess. People in Patna erected makeshift temples to offer prayers.

         The day is also considered auspicious for initiation of children into learning. The tradition has it that children should not be helped by adults into learning until the initiation ceremony is performed before goddess Saraswati. A large number of children are initiated into learning at temples or at home in front of the idol of goddess Saraswati. Over two crore devotees took the second 'Shahi Snan' on the occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya' on January 19. Many devotees took the first 'Shahi Snan' on January 15. 'Magh Purnima' (February 2) is the third day of the main bathing days. And finally, devotees will take a bath on 'Mahashivratri' (February 15-16). It is the day when devotees all over India worship Shiva. It is the fourth day of the main bathing day. The Ardh Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years ahead of the Maha Khumbh Mela, the biggest bathing festival of Hindus that comes after 12 years. Allahabad is one of four spots where Garuda, the winged steed of the 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, leading to the celebration of the Maha Kumbh Mela every 12 years. Legend says that the gods and the demons fought a celestial war, spilling heavenly nectar at the confluence of three-rivers in Prayag. According to mythology, the midway point between two such celebrations is also considered highly auspicious as 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. It was bettered by the festival in 2001, which drew between 50 and 70 million people.
- Jan 23, 2007

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