The
Atmosphere
Timing of
kumbha mela
Ardha
kumbha mela, HARIDWAR
The
Blissful Darshan
The
Mystics
Procession of Holy Saints
The Legend
Prayag
Snan
Tent City
Kumbh Mela in
Allahabad -- This unique event blends religious and cultural features alike.
With the entire atmosphere saturated with chiming bells, incense and flower
fragrance, Vedic hymns, mantras, beating of drums on horses, camels, and
elephants during the processions of naga (naked) sadhus from different akhadas
(orders) in their gold and silver chariots being pulled by devotees, as they
show their strength and skills -- pure enchantment for the soul.
Kumbh Fair is a
once-in-a-lifetime experience for the lucky ones. The crowd and confusion of
buyers and sellers, the native groups in every imaginable costume. Some shine in
cloths of gold, surrounded by followers splendidly arranged, others are less
expensively but picturesquely dressed, and many are half or full naked or wildly
clad. The melange of priests, soldiers, religious mendicants, half beggars-half
bandits, with a smattering of Europeans, exhibit all together an exotic display
-- unique in all the world.