Allahabad now Prayagraj is truly special to me for reasons more than one. Many years ago, I first stepped on this sacred land as a new bride. I knew it as, the man I loved belonged to this place, but the moment I set my foot there, it became much more than that, I felt a strange comfort, warmth and holy air letting my soul breathe easy. It had an old world charm with temples at almost every turn. Don’t know if I can call it love at first sight but our connection was undoubtedly instant. In the evening I was taken to ‘Sangam’ as a part of our wedding ceremony and we offered prayers there amidst priests chanting shlokas to bless us and keep us united throughout our lives. I realized, in all this, my love for this gorgeous place grew more profound and this love continues to grow deeper with every passing day.
I may not have said this before but 13 years later, I now belong to this place in words and in deeds. I love everything about it, its cultural heritage, its academic prowess, it’s history, the lovely temples, the absolutely delectable food but above all I love Sangam and you know the reason why. There is another reason. Sangam is also the place where my mom lives as when she left for heavenly abode, her remains were immersed here. So just stepping in Allahabad gives me the feeling that I have landed once again on my mom’s lap.
Not only me, Sangam means a lot to every Hindu. It is the where the three most revered rivers of India, the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati meet and it is here where the magnanimous Kumbh Mela is organized every twelve years. It is the holiest pilgrimage for Hindus where they take a dip in Sangam as it believed that this rid them of all of their sins. Between two Kumbh Melas, every sixth year comes the Ardh Kumbh and this year in 2019, Allahabad is hosting an Ardh Kumbh Mela which has surpassed all scales of opulence. People not only from all over India but also from across the world are visiting Kumbh this year to experience this mega event.
My family who visited Kumbh last weekend say that the grandeur of Kumbh this time is incomparable to all their past experiences and cherished the experience. No doubt it is the biggest peaceful conglomeration of people in the world. It has taken months of planning and execution to accommodate as many as 3 crores expected visitors for the 'Nahan' at Sangam. There are basic to five-star camps, drinking water, sanitation, parking, artificial intelligence and CCTV facilities to avoid stampede or the outbreak of a disease and the organizers indeed deserve a pat on the back.
The whole of my Allahabad has been lit up these days as if it is Diwali and it looks as pretty as a new bride. A lot of Sanyasis as well as noncelibates stay here for several days and offer worship forgoing all the worldly pleasures. This is also one of the biggest tourist attraction in India for people who want a first-hand experience of traditional Indian culture. The atmosphere in the Kumbh Mela is something which cannot be described in words, the chanting of the hymns by the priests, the pious ringing of the bells, the devotional music on the air, food is the form of Prasad, the experience of the holy dip which rids you of all tiredness and mental malice are all meant to be felt deep within our hearts.
It is widely believed that when Lord Vishnu was carrying a Kumbha(utensil) of Amrit which sprinkled on 4 locations which are the current day hosts of Kumbh Melas in India- Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik, and Ujjain. Thus, taking a dip in the holy waters at these locations during the Kumbh Mela is considered divine and fulfilling for every person who follows Hindu religion but for me, it can be every Indian as well.
The Ardh Kumbh Mela dates this year are from 15 January to 4 March and in case you don’t want to miss this absolutely worthy celebrations and one of its kind experience, our Prayagraj would love to welcome you with open arms. You can refer to their website to get all the details that you need😊.
P.S. This is not a sponsored post. This is straight from a Allahabadi’s heart 💗
Copyright © 2014-2019 by Roma Gupta Sinha
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If you relate to my writings, you can grab a copy of any of my 3 published books here The Fragrance of True Love, Destiny's Favorite Child and Dare to Defy The Destiny
If you relate to my writings, you can grab a copy of any of my 3 published books here The Fragrance of True Love, Destiny's Favorite Child and Dare to Defy The Destiny
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