Ardha Kumbh
Business standards carries an article dated 13 December exactly a month before the big event, Maha Kumbh, one of the world’s largest annual congregations of people, thanks to the population of India, and one of India’s most important religious events. From Jan 13- Feb 26, 2025, the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, the article informs the readers where to book for ‘combining luxury accommodation and a cultural immersive experience’, big business, of course!
It takes me down the memory lane, how universe conspired for me to take a dip in the Ganges in triveni sangam, still Allahabad then, in 2002.
My friend in Chhatarpur suggested that I visit Chitrakoot before going to Allahabad. Her Phuphaji (ji is added as respect) was HOD in Yoga department in the University. She wanted me to go there as there was a major student’s struggle, which was politicized and later squished by the State but she was not sure of details. It was on the way of my preplanned tour so I went and made a few calls, to Allahabad to my friend informing the delay, to my mother and aunt at Bhopal, telling them not to worry and henceforth I would not be calling, as it is expensive.
There was a bus from Chattarpur to Mahoba at 12 and from there I would have to take another bus for Karbi and get down at some stop to go to Chitrakoot. I reached Mahoba around 2.30. Mahoba is in U.P. but there were two bus stops, a private one for M.P. buses and another for U.P. The private one did not have any toilets and I went behind the shops a practice done by women. Took a rickshaw driven by a young boy must be around 12/13, gave him Rs.5/- to leave me to the U.P. bus depot through a lane with shops managed by women. I boarded one of the two empty buses standing for Karbi. At Banda around 4.30 the conductor asked me to change bus, as they were running just one service, due to lack of passengers. The buses in the opposite direction were coming all packed.
The bus got filled slowly on the way, stopping for anyone who wanted to board, but was going way behind schedule. I had to get down at Bedipuliya, the stop before Karbi, I must have told the conductor so many times that all the passengers got to know so when we were about to reach I heard four/five voices telling me to get down at the next stop! It was a few minutes past eight but very dark, there was a tri lamppost with two tube lights but enough light to stand. There was no one there and I thanked myself for not getting scared. As it is I am bothered with my own body’s disadvantageous position that I could not think even if I wanted. Only after getting down I realized the bus space was cramping my legs so I wanted to sit somewhere and stretch my legs. I sat down at the puliya (culvert) near the road and was so happy to see the dark sky, I did not realize how long I had to wait for the auto, which would take me to the next destination. The young auto guy was considerate of women, made space and seated me comfortably, soon the next stop came, to me it looked like in the middle of nowhere, everyone got down, paid the guy and I was so perplexed that he noticed it in the dim auto light, told me to keep sitting and left me further down. As he was telling me I will be able to go down a sloping pathway with my bags to the river bank when the electricity will come the electricity came as if on cue. The whole place lit up suddenly materializing the market near the bank out of nowhere with the electricity, nothing of which could be seen in the earlier darkness. I blessed the guy with all my heart.
I walked down to the bank to a boatman; a young boy of 12/13 came asking where I had to go, as if there was absolutely nothing unusual in a woman coming out of darkness to go across the river, to some Panditji’s (an address for a priest but here for a learned person) house. I presume I was just another customer to him but there was no lack of courtesy, just like the auto guy, on the contrary a concern when I got down, he politely asked if I wanted him to carry my bags, of course I did. I paid him extra for the service before I knocked on the door and told him to go away, so no one will have any say in it, which was quite nominal considered that he dropped me safely in front of my destination carrying my bag up a set of around twenty steep steps.
Another journey, after spending two constructive days in Chitrakoot enjoying the warmth of a family who did not know me earlier, I walked with comparative ease to the puliya where I had taken the auto while coming, and wondered if the time of the day had anything to do with the comfort! I had to go a little further to get a six sitter share tempo taking ten people to Karbi where I would get bus for Allahabad. It was around 12.15 by the time I reached Karbi, took my bags and sat down next to another elderly woman sitting in the bus conductor’s office. There was a boy-man who was calling her ma, and teasing her like all sons do, though he had the appearance of a Sadhu, long hair, sandal wood tilak (a mark on forehead denoting in earlier days which tribe you belonged to, has continued to represent caste, but of course I have no recognition of these), dhoti, and a loose kurta. The bus did not seem to be coming, there was a tree fallen on the road earlier causing the delay, explained the mother’s son. In between the woman explained to me that the boy was not her son but a Sadhu of high position, took care of Chitrakoot Ashram and thought of her as his own mother. By then he became ma’s son to me so I added his work identity to that. I could instinctively depend on him to see that I boarded the bus along with his ma.
We had exchanged that we all were going to Allahabad, they were going to Ganges bank for Ardhya Kumbh, (Half Kumbh) a religious festival for Hindus, an auspicious day, when people take a dip in Ganges. People come for a few days as per their convenience, bathe every day in Ganges, listen to stories of God by renowned Sadhus, there is arrangement made for people to stay. There is also a Badi Kumbh (Big Kumbh) with more importance to achieve divinity or moksha (being free from the pains of the worldly affairs and rebirths). My understanding is of one, who has never been to any, with lacking perceptions of pain, definitely in no need of moksha.
I made some calls, a bus came but Ma’s son was not satisfied with it, saying there would be too much rush in it, soon after by 2.45 another came and we were comfortably made to sit in it and he followed. We were relieved that the bus soon started, if all went well we would reach our destination by 6.30. After an hour the bus stopped in a market, where Ma’s son got us tea and some hot stuff to eat. I started speaking to him wanting to know about the Ashram. He said there were around forty persons in the Chitrakoot Ashram, some studying Veda, some learning work of sadhu, some do cooking, everyone is responsible for something or other, and he is responsible for all. Since I work with rural women and have been involved for development funding I was concerned about where the money came, so I asked him. He gave me a standard reply that God takes care of it. I told him see we all know God does take care but in this world we have to work, and I knew how difficult it was to collect money, so he came down on this earth and admitted people donate money but sometimes it is difficult. When I told him I wish I could ask money in the name of God but could not as I was an atheist, he asked me if I forced my views on others about being an atheist. I told him where was the time? I had no such intentions either. Women stayed in the Ashram as visitors but not as permanent residents. Veda was not taught to them, he was a bit amazed by my question. He had probably never thought that women could be taught Veda. I told him that education all over the world was available to women, so why not Veda? His Ma got up from sleep then. He told his mother to ask me to come to their place at Allahabad where they were going. She had already asked me but I told that I was running behind schedule due to my health so I did not want to sway from my plan — I had no idea what was in store.
I started reading my book. Suddenly I sensed that people in the bus were agitated and realised it was almost eight. We were just half an hour from Allahabad when the bus driver in an effort to manouvre caused traffic jam. We were stuck for almost another hour and a half. Ma’s son offered me again to come to their place on the banks of Ganges. I learnt that different Ashrams from all over India are given space to make tents for their devotees on each occasion of Kumbh. That year there was a conflict with the Government and a few Ashrams including them had withdrawn, as the Government was playing hard to get. Then the government reconsidered and requested them again.
I asked him where he would put me, as everything must be already booked. He generously offered where his Ma would stay I could stay there. He asked his Ma genuinely, and she willingly agreed. The next thing on my agenda was food, that too would be available, free of cost, he added! I did not seem to have much option but to go with them, as by the time we reached Allahabad it was another hour and a half and pouring cats and dogs. He arranged for a rickshaw for us and he walked pushing it at intervals. We crossed the temporary floating shaking but sturdy bridge on Ganges. With rain pouring from top and the river flowing below an experience one has to have to know how it feels! We reached their area and entered a tent absolutely dry. Other women were sitting and he introduced me as Indira Gandhi and the very next sentence he said was that I was an atheist! I was surprised that this person was hinting almost accusing that I must be forcing my views and here he himself was telling everyone that I am atheist. I just smiled but I could see the questions bubbling in everyone’s mind at various levels but I was too sleepy. They were making plans to take a dip in the Ganges the next day, I tentatively asked what time, told them to forget me at six in the morning. I accepted a puri from a concerned woman, and lay down in one side after getting into dry clothes hanging the wet ones. I could hear the water flowing around us. I was awe stuck with the construction of the straw hut, it was woven to the ground, and from nowhere even a drop of water was entering while it was pouring. I went to sleep with sound of flowing water in my ears.
The next day when I got up it was around eight. No one except an elderly person I presumed was ma’s husband was in the room. He requested me to take a dip in Ganges since I am here. I said I would definitely try. After going to one of the well-constructed toilets and brushing my teeth and washing up at the tap, I gathered energy to go take a dip. I walked alone to the bank with change of clothes in a bag and went to a large group of village women from Gorakhpur, which is on the border of India and Nepal, and asked them if I could take bath with them. They were confident, welcoming and assuring. I kept my clothes with theirs and got into the Ganges. Water of this river never gets dirty. Except for the enormous amount of sand the water felt clean. The cold bit me for a moment then settled down. I took a dip, closing my nose putting the head under water, holding on to another woman, I did not want to be carried away, as I had no balance or sense of my own weight under water, a natural phenomena! Another young woman told me that I must take three dips. I took another two as I was enjoying the feel of water by then. I did not want to be too adventurous so I came out. I changed in between all the women changing. It is not an easy to get out of wet clothes and get into dry ones, wondering which part of your body is showing, but the women around me gave me courage, they were not bothered about this one bit!
I came back feeling fresh and refreshed and requested for a cup of tea, got something to eat too. Everyone came after some time, two women from Kanpur, the woman I traveled with and some more people, and wanted to know why I was an atheist. I politely told them that I had no hassle to bow before Gods of people of all religion but since I was trying to find reasons of exploitation in this world as result of human greed, I could not fit the concept of God in this process. They had no difficulty understanding my point of view but God believers find it extremely difficult to understand why one is an atheist and I could see that ‘but’ in their eyes too but they did not pursue it. We were given food, Ma’s son too came in between and I requested him to make arrangement for me to leave, he told his devotees to make me stay a week, and we all just smiled knowing it would not be possible. Some elderly sadhus came to pay their respect to ma’s son and bowed lying down in front of him and he accepted that with grace. I rested for a while. I could have done without worrying as to how I would go from here with my luggage. Some devotee came in a car and Ma’s son arranged for me to be left in a place where I would get rickshaw, which was across the floating bridge and not a small distance for me to walk at all. I took leave from all the women and thanked Ma’s son and left with wish to spend more time with this sadhu who had achieved immense spiritual understanding at such a young age and respected women so naturally.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/574357 19.12.2024/10.30 p.m.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kumbh-Mela 15.12.2024/4.45 p.m.
https://prayagraj.nic.in/tourist-place/sangam/ 15.12.2024/9.02 p.m.
https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/maha-kumbh-mela-2025-know-how-and-where-to-book-your-accommodation-nc-124121300826_1.html 15.12.2024/4.57 p.m.
